Flora Riddle 2
by Mrs Borgin
Summary: Sequel to Flora Ridle's story. Flora and Felipe decide to move to Hogsmead with their family. Gradually Flora gets in contact with her origins and wins her place in the world to which she belongs with Harry Potter's help and under Hermione's care.
1. 1 The careful and watchful Harry

**"This story is based on the Harry Potter series, created by JK Rowling, on which I have no property right. So, It's not my intention to infringe any copyrights.  
>It's a fan fiction story that Incorporates characters she created."<strong>

**This story is being posted on Snitchseeker and Contosdasmasmorras simultaneously (my nickname in those sites is Mrs. Borgin and Ivana R... ), and I'm having help of my beta-reader Nups21 from Snitchseeker.**

**Summary:** Sequel to Flora Ridle's story, or a new stage of her life. After being introduced to the wizarding world, Flora and Felipe decide to move to Hogsmead with their family. Gradually Flora gets in contact with her origins, Black, Riddle, Gaunt, Slytherin, Perverell… She gradually wins her place in the world to which she belongs with Harry Potter's help, who isn't sure of his feelings for her, and under Hermione's care.

The careful and watchful Harry

It was late at night, and Harry couldn't sleep. He got up quietly so as to not to wake his wife up and went to the living room. There, he picked up the Daily Prophet that like quite often, had his picture on the front-page. However, it wasn't the one he was looking for... There she was: facing back; long black hair; graceful silhouette... He read the head-line as if to fool himself that he wasn't looking for the photo, but to the editorial content.

**AURORS BAR RISE OF DARKNESS **

**Mr. Harry Potter, head of the Aurors, tells how they subdued and subjugated a group of former Death Eaters, being organized under the authority of Lucius Malfoy in an attempt for the return of power of darkness. Lucius' son, Draco Malfoy, too actively took part in the action.**

**Lucius Malfoy had convinced the other Death Eaters that a Brazilian woman visiting the country, Flora Gressler Ferreira, was a direct descendant of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. He****believed that the Dark Lord's daughter shared plans with Lucius himself to regain the power…**

Harry stopped reading for a moment. Fortunately, he had succeeded, in his interview to the Prophet, to convince people that Flora didn't share her uncle's plans. So she was free to move around the magical world without being pointed at as a threat ... Maybe one day they'd bump into each other when shopping in Diagon Alley ... No. It wasn't likely.

He felt a little _unclean_ as he couldn't get Flora off his mind_. _It was the first time this had happened since he fell in love with his wife, back in the school days. However, Flora was like a magnet to him. Her beauty, sweetness, courage and skills fascinated him. He'd often catch himself thinking about her, even at work, and it was driving him mad. At home, he'd be embarrassed to even look at Ginny after the working day. It was impossible for him to look at her face as before. He couldn't understand his feelings. _He_ _needed to_ see Flora again; it was like his need to breathe. It disgusted him.

He remembered Dumbledore telling him how Voldemort, at the time he worked in Borgin & Burkes, used his charm to trick people as well as to persuade them into giving or selling him items of great value. That was it. Flora had inherited her father's power of seduction, and was using it on him, Harry Potter. She was cheating him. She had partaken in the Malfoy Manor break-in to prevent her uncle from taking over the power as she wanted to rule alone. He would stop her. That was his mission: after all he was the head of the Aurors. Yes, this would keep her under his eyes. He couldn't let Flora have access to the dark arts. He needed to keep her away from the Malfoys and also to keep a close watch on every one of her step. By doing his duty he wouldn't be doing anything wrong. Besides, this would work as a good explanation to Ginny. Finally, by fooling himself he managed to give himself what he desperately needed, an excuse to be close to Flora. Then, he fell asleep, tired but relieved.

The following day he discussed with Ginny about his mistrust of Flora. He said that she might be cunning and that it would be better to keep a close eye on her. He didn't say anything about how much he was attracted to Flora as Ginny wouldn't understand that part. However, he didn't need to; Ginevra Weasley Potter knew her husband very well. Moreover, as a woman she didn't need all the words to be spoken out for her to understand everything.

Ginny agreed with her husband. Yes, they should keep a close eye on Flora. However, she suggested that he get help from a trusted person. She suggested that no one would be better for that than her sister-in-law Hermione, married to her brother Ron. Hermione was very smart (besides being Ginny's confidante), and wouldn't be fooled by Flora. Harry agreed with Ginny. She had overwhelmed him with her argument as well as her deep blue eyes. When he looked at them, he couldn't even think about disagreeing with her. Childishly happy, he was grateful to his wife for having _saved_ him from temptation. He'd ask Hermione to keep Flora close under observation, and also to keep him informed about anything.

The same night they went to Ron and Hermione's. In the wizarding village, the Granger-Weasley's house stood out from the other ones that seemed to keep the style of the forties. It was a modern house that had a multitude of roofs and windows that opened to the day light in any season; it was well ventilated and the use of demolition materials could be seen in every room. All of that clearly showed their great concern for the environment.

Hermione was on the balcony at the back of the house writing in her notebook, an article for the Daily Prophet, while watching her husband and children play Quidditch in a mini-camp that was built in collaboration with their neighbor and her husband's brother, George Weasley. Harry, Ginny and the children follow along the corridor that flanked the house, accompanied by the sound of the balls bouncing and brooms whizzing in the air,.

Harry and his family's arrival took Hermione by surprise. She smiled and invited them to sit down:

"Although you'd certainly rather join them." Hermione pointed out as Harry's children were already climbing up brooms to meet their cousins in the air.

"It's tempting, but in fact Ginny and I need to talk to you."

So, Ron climbs off his broom with a smile, hugged his brother-in-law and tapped not so gently on his back, in a greeting that showed they were much more than relatives. Afterwards, he kissed his sister on her forehead and still smiling, asked them:

"What brings you here? Long time no see us?" He laughed because they had met just the day before at his mother's for the Sunday lunch.

Harry explained to both, his suspicions regarding Flora's moral integrity and intentions. Then he asked Hermione to help him to discretely keep a close watch on her.

"I thought that Flora and her family went back to Brazil?"

"They have, Hermione. But Prof. McGonagall told me that they intended to come back, and that their children have received the Hogwarts letters stating that they were registered by the magic quill. This confirms that they have decided to stay among us. I must closely follow each of her steps, and keep a close eye on her just in case she gives a hint of what we fear."

"But I told Harry that I think a woman should do this, as we have a better understanding of what goes on in the head of another woman. Besides, we don't take in certain charms" ... (Ginny winked to Hermione). "I myself would have done this for my husband if it wasn't for the busy schedule I got this year."

Ginny explained that she didn't think it wise to ask Hannah, Neville's wife, to help them. She wouldn't be unbiased, as she was used to being kind in her judgment on people. Furthermore, she was emotional & vulnerable at the moment on account of her pregnancy.

Hermione agreed. She would approach Flora and Felipe to help them to adapt to the magical world so that she would be able to keep an eye on them. She also agreed that the Ferreiras should have the opportunity to experience different things than just the ones the Malfoys could offer them.

"Now, how about a light meal: fish and colorful salad?"

"Plus paste and sauce; it sounds perfect." Ron completed in high spirits.

"Ron and his eternal teenager hunger!"

The two women relieved their husbands from helping them in the kitchen to have a moment "girls-only" to chit-chat a little. Their husbands, then, enjoyed the sunset with the children, in a game of hide and seek on brooms. Quidditch had to be stopped since it is impossible to play it when the large balls could no longer be seen, let alone the snitch.


	2. Preparing to born again

2. Preparing to be born again

Flora and Felipe had long talks about leaving their jobs and home to move to a new world. Both agreed that it was like being born again. They would try it.

Since Narcissa Malfoy had assured her of the legal origin of her heritage, Flora decided to accept it. She felt at peace with the wizarding folks, once she had taken part in her uncle and the other Death Eaters' arrest, who still had archaic ideas of pure-bloods, as well as contempt for the Muggles. And the Malfoy Manor break-in had frustrated the attempt of the return of darkness. Actually, it was quite hard to give up heaps of galleons. It wasn't even necessary to know how much they were worth in _real_, _dollars_, _pounds_ or _euros_ to know that they topped a lottery prize ... Surely there was enough to start a new life without sacrificing the family's savings.

Before leaving, they had little time to pack some clothes as well as a few objects having sentimental value, get permission to take their dogs on the trip, and say goodbye to friends and relatives (her husband had many brothers). As most of the dear persons they'd be leaving in Brazil were Muggles, they told them that they had been offered an irresistible working opportunity in UK. Later on they could think of how to get around possible visits.

They threw a great farewell party, but Flora didn't even have time to talk to her _witch_ friends_._ She had an incredible urge to share about the wizarding world with them, but felt that it wasn't the time yet. Once things had settled down, they could invite them over for a visit

Just a week after they had left England, they were back at her aunt's home, who wouldn't let them stay at the Leaky Cauldron, however much they insisted. In some visits to Diagon Alley they had bought the whole list of school materials for Lia and Ricardo. The children couldn't keep their excitement to themselves. They soon became faithful customers of George and Ron Weasley's store, the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. There wasn't a single trip to the alley that didn't result in pockets full of jokes and tricks. Though their cousin Scorpius liked going there the most, his father wouldn't let him go to this store at will. So, he could only buy things when he sneaked there.

Flora was happy to be able to walk around Diagon Alley without being recognized or suspected as Voldemort's heir. That was possible because Harry Potter had stated in the paper that there had been a misunderstanding concerning her. It was better to leave it like that. Few people still looked strangely at her, but they no longer shunned her. Those who knew the truth wouldn't openly talk about it so as to not embarrass her, so she was very comfortable. She'd have personally thanked Harry, if it weren't for Draco and his insistence that she not do that. Her cousin had assured her that Potter didn't need anything else to have his ego inflated. She realized that her cousin and she had very different ideas about Mr. Potter. However in deference to his cousin, she didn't contact the head of the Aurors.

Felipe was increasingly becoming attached to Draco, who had taught him many things, including flying on broomsticks. Felipe seemed to have been born to fly, as well as his sons Ricardo and Yan. They abused the risky maneuvers in midair, which left Flora with her heart pounding especially when they flew in a "v" shape, such as wild ducks, as they always did before performing these exercises. Flora and Lia liked the ground better and enjoyed learning domestic spells from Aunt Narcissa, especially when she fumbled with them. Because of the number of employees she had, she hardly ever had to use them; so they were quite rusty. One afternoon, while Draco, Scorpius, Felipe, Ricardo and Yan were practicing their flight, Narcissa commented:

"You'd have learnt a lot more with my sister."

"I thought my mother was averse to housework. The little I heard about her tells that she didn't like it at all."

"No, not Bellatrix…I'm talking about your other aunt, Andromeda. We haven't spoken in years. I think I'm getting old, I can't see any more sense in our distance, I shouldn't have been so frivolous but…"

Astoria, Draco's wife, had been quietly listening to the talk until then. This silence was because she didn't feel at ease with Flora, because since Flora's arrival, her mother-in-law had put her in the background. Yet, she ventured a guess:

"The choice of a husband talks a lot about the person; you shouldn't blame yourself like this."

"Well, I think we should always review our positions, especially when they concern our family. Sometimes we make hasty judgments, especially when we're young. The good thing is that as long as we are alive, we have a chance to change." said Flora.

Astoria grinned. But she was a bit miffed with Flora's remark. Flora's aunt agreed with her niece:

"Yeah, you're right. I'll think about that. Is everything ready for the start of the school year?"

"We've already bought the school books, uniforms, and the owls… but in fact, Felipe and I aren't ready yet to stay away from the children for so long. Perhaps, it's exactly for this reason that the kids are so excited... If I can remember correctly, when I was their age I too would have loved to live away from my parents, and take some risks once in a while." She smiled.

"You'll soon get used to it. Anyway, from what I understand, you do intend to settle in Hogsmead, don't you?

"Yeah, it's the closest to them as possible. When I was at Hogwarts I talked with Professor McGonagall about the possibility of me studying a little in the school library. The idea then was to do it during the holidays, because at that time I really didn't think we would be moving here. It seemed more of a wish than a real possibility."

"I've never heard of any parents ever have free access to the school. However, yours is a special case." Astoria apparently encouraged Flora. However, deep down she was trying to do just the opposite.

"If I don't try, how will I know?"

Narcissa noticed some uneasiness in the air and interrupted the conversation, announcing that the tea was ready.

Flora's family went to bed early, right after dinner; Draco, Astoria and Scorpius too went home straight away, since next morning Scorpius, Ricardo and Lia were going to catch the train to Hogwarts and Hogsmead.


	3. Hogsmeade

3. Hogsmeade

Narcissa Malfoy taught Flora and Felipe how to reduce the size of their belongings, to be able to fit everything into just a small suitcase. She promised to take in the dogs as soon as they were released from the quarantine imposed by the custom officers of the International Airport. Felipe didn't let Draco Confund the officers to release the dogs because he didn't like to take advantage of his powers to force anyone. Of course, the children protested otherwise.

Getting to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters at King's Cross Station hadn't been much difficult, because Scorpius had been forbidden to play tricks on his cousins by Draco. Draco began wondering whether maintaining contact with his cousins was for the better or not, because Scorpius's obstinacy and playfulness was increasing on every day they spent together.

Draco gave Felipe an old and crumpled kettle, and explained that it was a portkey which would take them straight to Hogsmeade. It would start to work two minutes after the departure of the Hogwarts Express, which was still half an hour away.

The platform was already crowded. Noisy and cheerful students were everywhere. Parents were trying to get something more than just "hasty goodbyes" from their children. Their advice and recommendations went into the air. Flora found it all very amusing, proving that both, parents and children are alike everywhere in the world.

Her eldest son had already said goodbye even before he had been through the platform wall. He intended to avoid those "mommy little kisses" in front of his future school-mates. His sister who was more free in expressing her love than him had thrown her arms around her mother, as if to delay the departing time a little. Once on the platform, Ricardo got into the train as fast as he could. Once inside, he waves with one hand while with the other, he playfully mimicked horns glaring behind Scorpius's head. Draco's son turned to his Brazilian cousin and instead of starting a discussion smiling, said "Just wait and watch."

Then, Harry Potter came there and said to Draco that he'd never seen Scorpius behave like that before. If it wasn't for the hair, he would have said that he was a Weasley. Draco looked back in his eyes and said:

"Don't exaggerate, Potter. Here, you aren't my boss."

Flora and Felipe observed how the comment annoyed Draco. Flora couldn't contain herself and so tried to ease the things:

"I think Scorpius has been contaminated by the Brazilian mood. He and Ricardo have really gotten along with each other in these days they spent together."

"Flora, Felipe. How are you?" Harry asks, pretending not to have seen them yet.

Ginny gets near them along with Ron and Hermione.

"Your son has become one of my best customers in the recent days. And no use in asking me to not to consider the orders via owl mail, for I am above all, a businessman." remarked Ron Weasley. Smiling, he greeted Flora, Felipe, Draco, and Astoria who put on her brightest smile to greet him back.

Hermione stepped forward:

"Do you remember me? I'm Hermione Granger. I'm going to spend a few days working in Hogsmeade next week."

"I hope that by then I would already have a house to call you for a cup of tea. I'll never forget any of you. We had very strong experiences together." Flora said. Seeing Harry clear his throat she continued, "During my first and hopefully my last battle."

All agreed that it would be the last one. They heard a noise and looked at the large clock on the station. The train would be leaving in two minutes. Lia said goodbye to her parents, but not knowing what to do next, she simply kept on looking around the big train. Right then, Lily Potter, Harry and Ginny's daughter, held her hand and took her inside the train.

Flora turned to Ginny and smiling, said:

"It's very kind of your daughter. Lia is a little scared, but doesn't want to show that, because just like me, she doesn't like to back off from her decisions. You see, she was the one who had asked us to let her go to Hogwarts. But, Ricardo, on the other hand, has no problem to adapt to a new place. He makes friends easily."

Then, Draco signaled that the kettle was changing colors, transforming into a portkey. So it would take them to Hogsmeade. They quickly said goodbyes to each other. Flora held Yan tightly against her body and, at the last moment, noted the green eyes that looked deeply into hers. Harry's.

When they arrived in Hogsmeade, Neville and Hannah were waiting for them. They invited the guests to visit their new house near the post office. The beautiful house stood in a side street. In front of it was a wrought iron gate with small tendrils and flowers that gave the house a very delicate and cheerful look. The light green gate matched the vines that covered the low walls round the house. The house itself was a darker shade of green. It had large windows and a small balcony in the front. Hannah asked them all to come in, but Flora was looking at the house next door that had a board saying it was for sale. It was a one-story pink house with white windows and a flowery garden in the front. Low walls surrounded it too and made it appear an extension of Hannah's house. Hannah noticed Flora's interested gaze and said:

"This is the house that I mentioned to you and Felipe. As you can see, it seems to be waiting for you. How about having a look at it after lunch?"

Flora and Felipe agreed. The little Yan ran around the Longbottoms' house, trying to spot Hogwarts castle. At the back of the house he could see from behind a hill high towers pointing to the sky. He immediately said:

"If there's any room at the back of the pink house, it's gonna be mine!

They craned their necks over the wall (that were higher at the back of the house than in front of it) and saw two trees, possibly an apple tree and a large pine one, planted in a large lawn.

"WOW! Felipe, this house is perfect. The dogs and the children will love it."

"I know THEY will love it, darling. But after lunch we can decide on that, right? I am starving now."

Felipe hugged her fondly. Sometimes his wife did not seem to be older than a seven-year-old child.

Hannah had prepared a simple, but very tasty lunch. After the meal, Neville, Felipe and Yan go out for a walk. Besides learning more about the village, they chatted with the owner of the neighboring house. Flora helped tidy up the kitchen for giving Hannah some rest. Both women talked as easily and freely as if they were long lost old friends.

But those green eyes don't leave her mind. She doesn't understand why the head of the Aurors could still be somewhat interested in her. He should have realized that Flora was honest and not a threat. She thought of mentioning this to Hannah, but then brushed the matter aside, remembering her mother's words: "He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin." Maybe it was better to keep her mouth shut lest she be misunderstood.

The men came back bringing the pink house key with them. Flora was so excited that she forgot to take off her apron before running off to meet Felipe at the front gate. There he said:

"You better like it, because there are no other houses for sale in the neighborhood."

"I have no doubt that I will. Besides, it is pink, Lia's favorite color."

"Speaking about that…" she looked at the clock. "Hannah said that they should be midway."

The house was much more than everything that Flora had imagined. The previous occupants of the house had left some old furniture behind as well as a piano, which made it even more charming if that were possible:

"Is it real, Felipe? Can it be ours? It has one room for Lia, another one at the back for the boys, and a very charming one with flowers in the window for us. It seems to have been customized to my dreams!"

Her husband nodded his head in agreement. She knew he'd liked it too. Yan came running from the yard, having fun with a gnome that hung from his cap.

"Mom, look at that!

Neville said that maybe afterwards, he could teach them to stop the infestation, but Flora thought it wouldn't be necessary because the gnomes seemed harmless.

They spent the rest of the afternoon unpacking and tiding up the house. Felipe told Flora that he had done the deal even before seeing the inside of the house. As their only option, they had to make sure it was them, and make the necessary changes along the time.

Later in the afternoon, Neville went to school to welcome the returning and new students. Hannah had her Brazilian neighbors over for tea. They suggested that they all eat on the back balcony of the house from where the school could be seen. Maybe, by seeing it, they could symbolically take part in the magic moments that happened in their children's lives.


	4. Lost and Found

4. Lost and found

Next morning Hannah went to Flora's house, to give the message sent by Neville, that Ricardo had been sorted to Gryffindor house and Lia to Ravenclaw. They seemed both happy and excited.

They both were doing well. Besides, nobody had shown any kind of prejudice against them regarding their family origin, or because they were foreigners. Flora and Felipe were relieved to know this.

The fact that Neville had to sleep in the school for few days a week upset Hannah. Flora offered to help her neighbor in such times or whenever necessary, "Neighbors are like relatives in times of difficulty."

Felipe and Yan went out to look for a place to open The Lan, the computing equipment shop and the training school. They spent the whole morning at it while Flora stayed at home, amused with the garden. She thought that once she knew how to use magic, lunch would be ready in like, seconds! An hour later she remembered that she had yet to buy all the ingredients. So, she changed and went out, without asking Hannah their address. Being a small village, she believed that if she got lost trying to find a grocery store, it would be a good opportunity to get to know the local businesses. Taking her purse and her wand, that practically felt like a part of her, even if she couldn't use it much, she made her way out.

She walked in the opposite direction from where they had arrived the day before because she wanted to see the rest of the small street. It was a residential street, no different from any others she had lived in for the last 37 years.

But.. that street ended in a field. So, she came back along the same way to try her luck on the opposite end of it. She was about to turn its corner, when she saw Harry Potter leaving the post-office.

Taking a deep breath, she walked towards him.

"Good morning, Mr. Potter, I didn't expect to meet you here."

"Actually, I didn't expect to come to Hogwarts today, either. I just came from there. Prof. McGonagall asked me to address the inaugural class of Defense Against the Dark Arts to introduce the new teacher, my friend Viktor Krum. Nevertheless, I never thought that it'd be now in the first term itself."

"I'm going to market to do some shopping for lunch".

"May I join you?"

"Ah, well, yes. Felipe and I have already settled down here. We got a house next to the Longbottons'. It would be a pleasure to have you and Ginny over for a cup of tea ... and…"

"Is there anything you would like to ask me?"

"Yes, actually, there are two things: first; thank you for your statement to the Daily Prophet. Second my aunt Narcissa told me that I have another aunt, Andromeda. I've never met my biological parents, and I'm not even sorry for it. In fact, I believe it was best like that. But I'd like to know the rest of the family, and to know their history ... Do you know her? I thought you did, since you know all the rest of it ... As far as I can understand, this aunt Andromeda belonged to the _good_ part of the family."

"Yes, I know your aunt Andromeda. Her husband was…" Harry stopped speaking abruptly. "Well, I don't know if you want to know ... I wouldn't upset you..."

"Please, go on. You'd never bother me."

"Well, um… Her husband was persecuted and killed for being Muggle-born. I believe the rest of the story will be even more shocking to you. Are you sure you want to hear it?"

"Surely, just some more horror practiced by my parents, right? ... Why not?"

"In the Hogwarts battle, your mother ... It's very strange to imagine that Bellatrix was someone's mother..."

"I haven't chosen her to be my mother, nor Voldemort to be my father. I haven't asked to be born either... But I must know. I want to understand things."

"Okay, okay. Bellatrix dueled against her own niece, Andromeda's daughter, my godson's mother, Nymphadora Tonks Lupin."

"Her own niece? What kind of a person was Bellatrix? Was she that heartless?"

"At the time she was obsessed with Voldemort. Everything he believed was law for her. She didn't spare anybody, much less those who opposed the regime that Voldemort was implanting." (Harry found it better not to confirm what was obvious: Bellatrix was heartless.)

Flora put her hand on her mouth in surprise, eyes wide-open. Then placing her hand to her chest she asked "How horrible! Please go on."

"Andromeda married Ted Tonks, a Muggle-born. That in itself was already an offence to the family. Her daughter, Nymphadora, married a werewolf, Remus Lupin, and both fought Voldemort openly. They were members of an organization called the Order of the Phoenix. As far as I can remember, I've already told you about my godfather, Sirius Black, also killed by Bellatrix, who was her cousin ... Even having the same blood wouldn't stop Bellatrix, she couldn't care less for _blood _bonds." Harry explained, in a bit of scornful way.

"What do you mean?"

"The term pure-blood stands for those wizards that have come from a wizarding lineage for centuries. Your father, Tom Riddle, was the son of a witch and a Muggle father - of course he used to omit this information – people like him are considered half-blood. The Black family had this obsession with pure blood, so Andromeda and Nymphadora's marriages looked offensive to them. But, my godfather didn't have such prejudices despite being a Black. Therefore, he left his family home and moved in with my father's family while he attended school. Besides that, he was also the first Black to be sorted into Gryffindor, which also brought him into clashes with his family, all of whom had been sorted into Slytherin."

"The blood, always the blood ... It is unbelievable that the only thing that binds me to these people is the blood. Something that ultimately has no value for me... How can I be their daughter if we have nothing in common? I've always known that _blood_ didn't say anything about the person, but even then, I always had a kind of romantic notion about who my biological parents were. I didn't look like my foster parents at all… Actually my Brazilian parents were my real family, because they raised me, gave me their love and made of me the person I am today. Although we both were of European descent, our features were completely different. I spent my childhood dreaming of a mother who had my face and of a father that was desperately looking for me and was sorry for having given me up for adoption ... I used to dream like that then. But now, I know I have Tom Marvolo Riddle's features, and that my body and hair are like Bellatrix Black Lestrange's, unfortunately. I also know that I've inherited my wizarding powers from them, but I can't recognize them as my parents. But still, I can't live without trying to know more about them. A piqued curiosity may be a terrible flaw, but perhaps that is my best quality." Flora said.

Harry smiled and looked deeply in her eyes. Flora, without meaning to, _saw_ the image of a young man with colored hair next to a lady that reminded her of Narcissa. She apologized knowing that he realized what she had just done. He smiled again since he knew that it was his fault that he had been careless.

"Who is the young man with colored hair?"

"Your second cousin, Nymphadora's son."

"The lady might be Andromeda, his Grandma."

"That's right. You do it like few others do. So very subtly... Almost imperceptibly.

"Sorry, I don't do it on purpose most of the times. After I discovered how to peek into a person's mind, it's difficult to avoid doing it. You looked so directly into my eyes that it was… like, automatic. Sorry again, I know it's not polite to go around _reading_ people's minds."

"And can you do the opposite? I mean, can you avoid it?"

"I think no one has ever tried to break into my mind. Would you like to be the first?"

The two stopped in the middle of the street, Harry facing her. He was a good legilimens as well as a good occlument. With great difficulty he had learned to control the closing of his mind so that he could sift out only the bit of information he wished to disclose.

A few minutes later, Harry threw his hands up in the air and gave up. He wasn't able to extract any bit of information from those beautiful eyes. She asked him to try again. This time she won't try to dodge it, she said. So he again peered deeply into those blue eyes, not noticing Felipe's arrival exactly at the moment when an image had begun to form in his mind.

"What's the game?" Felipe asked both of them.

Flora withdrew from Harry's eyes, kissed her son and hugged her husband.

"Hi, my dears. I didn't even see you two coming. It's just that Harry was trying to read my mind. You know, he's trying to use legilimens against me." Then she realized it, so she apologized again, "Oh, sorry, to call you like that, _Harry_. In Brazil people are usually called by their first names."

Smiling, Felipe said, "She is always so spontaneous. I hope it doesn't bother you, Mr. Potter."

And turning to his wife, he continued, "Where are you going?"

"Oh! I was just looking for a market, but ended up bumping into Harry Potter. I think I got lost in conversation."

"Yes, I think you ended up getting a bit lost in the conversation all right, because the market was three blocks behind." Felipe replied somewhat uneasily.

Flora then realized that Felipe didn't like her to move about the new village with a man either of them barely knew. Felipe wasn't usually jealous; but, he was careful. Flora skillfully managed to change the course of their conversation.

"And have you found a good place to settle our business?"

Harry pretended to get interested in it, but his mind was elsewhere, he was still thinking about Flora's enigmatic eyes.

"Hannah suggested that we set up a computing shop and give computer courses here since the wizarding folks need to update their ways of communicating." Flora said to Harry, "Since Felipe is a teacher in this very field, we thought it would be a good idea ... Well, I'll leave you now, as I still have to go to the market, well before lunch becomes dinner..." she added. "So, until some other day, Harry. Yan, come with me, won't you?" She kissed her husband and smiling, said good-bye,.

Her son went with her to market, and kept on babbling away about some vacant building they had found next to a bar called the Hog's Head….


	5. Hernione and Hogwarts

**5. Hermione and Hogwarts**

After some days, the Ferreira family had completely adapted to the new routine. Flora found out that a short one hour drive to the nearest Muggle town was required everyday for Yan to continue studying, due to lack of school in Hogsmeade because of less number of children. Flora and Yan soon found out where the other children lived, and arranged with their mothers rotational rides so that none of them had to go twice a day to the boring neighboring village.

With Flora's invitation, Hermione was more at ease to visit her the following week. Flora didn't have to drive the kids that day, so she was at home when Hermione knocked on her door.

"Hello, Flora. May I come in?"

"Hermione! You've come? What a nice surprise! Come in."

"I've just arrived. Have you seen Hannah? Her house is closed..."

"Oh, yes. She went out early to prenatal care. She should be back for lunch with us. Would you like to have lunch with us too?

"If it's not a problem."

"Of course not, please have a seat."

While Flora was leading her guest to a comfortable rocking chair near the window, she tried to dodge a Screech owl that got into the room and dropped a letter.

After having read it Flora said to Hermione:

"It's from McGonagall allowing me to do some reading in the library once a week... I feel somewhat useless being at home all the time; besides, I also don't feel at ease knowing that any child over eleven knows more about magic and our world than I do."

That comment didn't sound good to the attentive Hermione. She immediately blinked and thought that she should tell that to Harry as soon as possible. She also offered to go with Flora to the library since she probably knewmore about the books in it than the librarian herself.

Though Felipe wasn't very fond of reading, he took the chance and went with them. He was very curious about the library as it was one of the places he hadn't visited before.

There was also the fact that both Felipe and Flora hoped to find their children and hear from them their feelings about the school. They knew that their children might not like to find them there. But they would be discrete, as discreet as doting parents can be."

"Flora, don't embarrass the kids with overdisplay of affection."

"Look who's talking! Felipe! We're going to embarrass the kids anyway; we just wouldn't do it if we were invisible. But I'll try to be discreet and not draw too much attention to them."

"It's going to be hard not to draw attention to them; parents don't usually move about the school, except in extreme cases. I too would like to meet Rose and Hugo, but children this age usually don't like any show of affection in public." Hermione laughed.

"As good parents as we are, one of our roles is to give them reasons to complain about something, isn't that so?" Flora laughed openly. She knew that even if she slightly nodded when passing Ricardo, he'd be as embarrassed at his mother's show of affection as happy about it.

When they arrived at the school, Flora was disappointed to see the children in class. She had expected to meet all of them at that time.

The school easily fascinated anyone that came in there. Flora was sure she would always be feeling that mixture of fascination and oppression, by looking at the huge and ancient walls and imagining them completely filled with magic and history. She commented that to Hermione, who immediately recommended that she read as her first book:

"Hogwarts, a History. It was my favorite book in the months before the first year. It's really fascinating and exciting! I had never thought that someone, someday, would have the same feeling for this school as me!"

Flora smiled:

"I'll accept your suggestion. I think it's a great idea to start from the origins to understand the present days. We do this often in my profession; we try to know the person's history to understand the present on which we work."

"Your profession must be very exciting. I've never talked to a psychologist."

"Indeed it is; it's the opportunity to see life in a thousand different ways ...  
>But at the moment I'm having a holiday; I'm actually claiming the right to get to know myself by exploring the magic that used to occupy only the secondary place in my life ... Now it's become a priority! Wow! That's strong! I think I got carried away."<p>

"Nothing more natural ... It's your life, Flora. And don't forget that your ancestor was one of the founders of this school; if the walls are filled with magic, it is since the times of Slytherin. I agree with Mrs. Weasley, one should start with the history."

Surprised, Flora turned to the lady that had said who was standing behind her.

"Prof. McGonagall! How nice to see you again. I didn't imagine that you'd meet us, since you're so busy. Thank you for allowing us to visit the school."

Flora, Felipe and Hermione greeted Prof. Minerva McGonagall. Flora got excited and hugged her, in such a spontaneous and personal attitude that the old lady returned it tenderly.

"I wasn't going to deprive you of this right. I just came to greet you. Now I'll leave you in the pleasant company of Hermione, who was one of my brightest students."

Blushing Hermione thanked her. They went to the library and spent some hours between thousands of books. At the end of the day, they got to meet their children.

The meeting with the children was brief, but intense. On the contrary to what they had thought, the children looked up for them. Lia introduced them her new friend Lily Potter.

"Mom, this is Lily, Harry and Ginny Potter's daughter. We haven't been away from each other since the train station. Then we were sorted into the same house. ... We're having so much fun! Ricardo, though, only messes about, mom. He's already doing detention in three different subjects."

"Shut up, Lia!"

"It's true, mom. Professor Longbottom said that he is leading Scorpius astray, but then said it's actually good, because now Scorpius was making more friends. See, the other students don't have the guts to make fun of him in front of Ricardo who always has a bad reply to whoever tries to do it. I only miss two things: the internet to talk to my friends in Brazil and you to give me a goodnight kiss."

"We too miss you two, but it seems to be paying off. And you, Ricardo, what can you tell us?" Flora asked him.

"Nothing, Lia has already told it all ... Well, mom and dad, I'm off." Saying so, Ricardo tried to sprint off.

"Wait a minute, boy." Felipe spoke in a scolding tone of voice familiar to the boy, who then turned to his father pretending innocence. "Do you really want to be kicked out from school before the end of the first year? Being a Slytherin's descendant does not mean that your place is forever guaranteed. Don't let me down."

The boy lowered his head and replied:

"I won't let you down, dad. I'm swatting a lot. It's just that I can't stand a prick trying to bully me ... If they think they can beat me just because I got late at school, they're dead wrong."

At this point Rose, Hermione's daughter came there:

"Are you really Slytherin's heir? I thought Scorpius was kidding… So what are you doing in my house then? You should be in the dungeons!"

"Rose!" Hermione scolded her, her look sharper than her words. "Is that the way of behaving yourself?"

"But mom, he pesters me so much! I'll forbid my father to sell him joke kits." She complained to her mom.

"I don't know why Rose studies so much! She doesn't need it." Ricardo retorted in his defence. "She's mad just because I'm sitting in her lit corner at the library. You see, it's well lit and I too need to study. She won't take that, though, and says the others places in the library aren't good to study. In addition to that, she also thinks that just because she's been here for longer, she can choose the best armchair in the common room."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this!' Flora and Hermione spoke together.

"Ricardo, haven't I taught you to be kind togirls?" asked Felipe, in a voice somewhere between laughter and reproach. Flora complemented her husband's sentence by saying:

"Yeah son. I stopped talking about it with you about six years ago: share, share ... If both of you want the same place, share it. It is impossible that in such a big school the best place to study is the size of a pea. Moreover, since when do you really want to sit in an armchair?"

At that moment, Flora had an insight: perhaps it was a different matter altogether, but even so she threatened her son.

"If you keep on getting detentions I'll send you a Howler. Hannah told me all about them and I'm sure you won't like to get one of them in the Great Hall with all your classmates and teachers watching."

"The same goes for you, Rose. I don't want complaints about you from anybody."

Ricardo lowers his head and answers:

"Okay, Mom. I'll behave myself... Hey, Rose, what is it in your ear?"  
>He said that laughing, while taking out one Knut coin from her ear before running off with a furious Rose behind him.<p>

Lia and Lily both said their good-byes while the adults couldn't stop laughing. Felipe said:

"I bet that there's an undercurrent feeling over there."

The women agreed, but showing Scorpius leaning against the wall, looking unhappy, Flora said:

"But it seems there's a cousin that isn't happy about it."

Felipe said:

"It's okay,, better to leave this to the children. Let's go, then, before Flora can say that she needs to return to library to pick up a dozen more books."

The three crossed the lawn leading to the school gates where they meet, waiting for them, a Mr. Filch, completely bald and stooped with age:

"I thought you'd never come out, I've been waiting here for over half an hour."

"We're sorry. Sheer excitement of a mother held us. It'll never happen again. It was very kind of you to have waited for us. We apologize once again."

After they leave, Hermione explained:

"He's just got here at the gates, but after so many years of cultivating a bad mood, he has become addicted to complaining. It was lready like that during my school days."

"I noticed that, but I think that in these cases it is better not to contradict the person. He is an old man and deserves to be respected. So I just apologized and that was enough to make him happy and walk back smiling. Life can be greatly improved by small gestures." Flora replied smiling.

"Sure, you can." answered Hermione.

"But who am I thinking I'm talking to? You don't need to hear any of that, I'm sorry. Hannah has told me about the movement you created for the elves' release. It is fantastic. We have to talk about it one day. But now we better hurry. It's time for Yan to return from her Muggle school."

They said good-bye and with a gentle smile, Hermione apparated right from there. Flora and Felipe walked hand in hand back to Hogsmead,. With Flora sighing at every step. She was very happy.


	6. Was she bewitched?

6. Was she bewitched?

After a quick stopover in her office at the Ministry of Magic, Hermione got home and told her husband excitedly about the moments spent with Flora. She also told him how kind, polite, thoughtful, and intelligent Flora was:

"Harry must have been mistaken in his suspicions. It wouldn't be possible, would it?"

Laughing and hugging his wife Ron replied:

"Honey, I think you were bewitched by her."

"Was I?"

Hermione shook her head and replied:

"No, I'm fine. She didn't do anything. We just exchanged some ideas. I would've noticed. And Felipe is amazing, very funny and friendly. It's their way of being, Ronald. There's nothing to it. Today I'm gonna talk to Harry."

That night she told Harry her impressions. He agreed with everything Hermione said. So it was Ginny's turn to become suspicious

"I don't know. Her eyes are somewhat… different. What if she has some power, unknown to us? What if she is able to say exactly what we want to hear? Huh?"

"It's possible. Hermione, I think its better I check it out myself, since it's possible you're being manipulated somehow."

Harry didn't hint at anything, but he knew that he'd just found a perfect alibi to be with Flora again without arousing his wife's suspicion. He couldn't explain it, but she was like a magnet to him. Was he too bewitched? If he wanted the answer to that, he would have to take risks.


	7. Flying Yan

7. Flying Yan

Flora didn't stop reading _Hogwarts: a History,_ not even to clean the house, as now she could do everything just by moving her wand. Felipe was already making jokes about how she would be taking a shower without soaking the book in her hands ... just to add straight away:

"Oh, I forgot, she is a witch. She'll manage."

Yan took advantage of his mother's distraction to have his hair cut Mohican style and to have his tongue pierced. The piercing was removed right after tea, when Flora heard the sound of metal hitting the fork.

"But mom, everybody has it!"

"My son is not everybody ... And that's disgusting. Come here with piercings, tattoos and whatever only when you're of age."

"At least the wizard's majority is earlier, I won't have to wait until I'm eighteen. I bet if it was Ricardo, you'd let him." Yan whined.

"A-huh ... How many piercings does he have? And ears enlargers?" Flora asked, a little suspiciously.

"Ricardo's narrow-minded just like you, mom."

Saying so, Yan left the kitchen dragging his feet, defeated..

Felipe followed him.

"You know how your mother is: she's liberal for many things, but not to all of them." Felipe explained to Yan. "You see, son, she wishes you well. We've just moved to a new country, you are going to a new school. We aren't ordinary people even among the wizarding folks. Try not to draw too much attention to yourself at school."

"But dad, Mom is always saying that if we don't want to draw attention to ourselves; we have to behave like the people we hang out with. At school everyone is fancy, wearing pierces or enlargers; they even insert some lumps under the skin that are cool. If I'll look plain, they'll think I'm nerd or retarded. I wanted so much to wear one of those pierces, just in the tongue. Besides, Rosmerta's nephew assured me that it's possible to take everything off later on by using magic. And it doesn't live as a scar or anything like that."

"Okay, I'll talk to your mother. But no horns or lumps please." Felipe said, warning him.

"I promise: no horns or lumps.'

Yan said that hiding his crossed fingers behind his back, thinking he hadn't even thought of having horns, or horns like a human unicorn. And so, lost in the bizarre images of himself transformed like that, he skipped to the backyard.

Flora watched him skipping and suddenly realised that sometimes he seemed to hover in the air. She thought it to be interesting. Felipe came closer to her, hugged her and passed on to her their son's arguments. Shaking her head, she said:

"His insightful thinking doesn't impress me at all, He's just like you. What he doesn't realize is that some children complain of their mothers and call them witches, but his is a witch indeed! Oh, how I wish I could clear his memory only to the point he argued reasonably against me so that I won't be able to deny him what he wants."

Felipe astonishingly looked at her. She looked back at him:

"Easy, my love. I'd never do that." Flora replied to his unasked question, "I don't think that the means justify the ends. ""Let him looks like a Christmas tree. We can remove those ugly adornments once he does notwant them anymore... I don't care." she said defeated..."

Astonished at her words, Felipe said, "I never imagined you'd say that."

"Well, before, I didn't have a wand to manage things. Besides, Yan is a proud boy. As soon as a girl finds him funny, he'll want to get rid of everything. He's already upset for going to Muggle school when his brother and sister are already going to Hogwarts. Let's allow him this time and be careful not to make things even more boring for out here."

"Sometimes I forget that you are still a psychologist."

"Me too." Flora replied, smiling.

And the two hugged and kissed tenderly before joining their son in the backyard and along with him, admired the magnificent starry night.


	8. Returning to the Origins

8. Returning to the origins

Several days passed until an owl delivered a letter from Harry Potter. It was addressed only to Flora.

_**Mrs. Flora,**_

_**I talked to your aunt Andromeda and she really **_

_**wants to meet you. If it isn't too much trouble, **_

_**I'd like to take you to her house. I'll have the afternoon off tomorrow.**_

_**Please reply asap.**_

_**Sincerely,**_

_**Harry Potter**_

_**PS Would Felipe have a video board for sale? **_

_**The man that came over to fix up my **_

_**home computer said that the problem is on it.**_

Flora immediately went to the store and told Felipe about the letter. Felipe, as always, encouraged his wife in the quest for her origins. But he was sorry for not being able to go along with her because he had work. Flora then asked about the computer, and Felipe replied that she should ask Potter to bring it over. Flora wrote:

_**Dear Mr. Harry Potter,**_

_**I accept your invitation.**_

_**See you tomorrow.**_

_**Flora**_

_**PS .Felipe asks you to bring your**_

_**computer for him to give it a look**__._

Flora sent the message back though the same golden owl.

The morning passed quickly. After changing three or four times, Flora settled for a self-made gray-green dress with tiny orange roses embroidered in the neckline and hem. Felipe looked curiously at her:

"Long time no see you unsure about what to wear."

Without taking her eyes off the mirror, examining herself at various poses, Flora said:

"Yeah, I was also thinking about it. In fact since we've come here, I just feel good in a dress…I think that witches wear dresses and cloaks... I think it's only some of my childish fantasies.. But today's indecision is because I don't want to be judged by my appearance on the outside. I'm afraid my aunt is prejudiced against me because I am the daughter of her mean sister. I want to look a little sweet **to her **so we can talk at least."

"Honey, this uncertainty does not suit you at all. Come here."

While Felipe was hugging her, he saw Harry arriving at the gate through his window.

"Mr. Potter has just arrived, dear."

Felipe kissed her gently, and they both went to meet the guest. Felipe took the computer off Harry's hands, talked briefly with him and then said goodbye to his wife:

:"Good luck with your aunt. Take it easy. I love you."

"I love you too. Have a good working day, my love."

She turned to Harry:

"Always a pleasure to see you. How is your family?"

"It's my pleasure. We're doing well. Ginny asked me to say hello to you. Are you ready?"

"Sure."

Flora said it while reaching out to him, already feeling the backlash in the stomach characteristic of the Disapparition. Fortunately she hadn't had lunch properly that day, or she would have surely made a mess. Fully nauseated, she Apparated with Harry and arrived at her aunt's place.

The wind and glare punished her eyes, but she could spot an old lady on the balcony. The picture delighted her heart, and filled it with longing for her childhood, remembering her sweetie Brazilian grandma.

The old lady rose to greet them. She was knitting a little bag:

"Good afternoon, I am Andromeda and you might be Flora." She said, peering at Flora.

"Yes, I'm Flora. Is everything all right with you? Hope I'm not bothering you." Flora replied, feeling a little nervous.

Andromeda gently looked at her for a few moments and answered that she was all right:

"I was just waiting for you, dear. You look so much like a sweet version of my sister Bella. Your contours and hair resemble her, but your features are much more delicate ... And something tells me this delicacy goes beyond what I see."

Flora felt her face going red. Her aunt went on:

"Harry Potter told me that you have a daughter, so I made this little gift for her. I hope she likes it."

"You must have guessed my daughter's tastes, it's perfect for her." Flora replied, smiling and feeling a bit at ease. "And she loves bags, especially the handmade ones."

Andromeda invited them to sit down and they spent the afternoon on the balcony, drinking tea and exchanging stories. Sometimes Flora apologized for everything bad Bellatrix did to her sister, but her aunt waved her apologies aside because there was nothing to apologize for. She knew very well that a child couldn't be blamed for their parent's acts, moreover when they hadn't been brought up by them. Flora was relieved by such a comment and decided to introduce another touchy subject: Narcissa Malfoy. Andromeda listened to her carefully and touched, she says:

"So many terrible things had to happen for Cissa to realize the injustice done because of her prejudice. How many things we lost... It's a pity that neither I could follow my nephew's growth, nor could she ever meet my Nymphadora, a girl so smart and funny as restless ... And my son-in-law … so brave ...", tears tricked down her face. "At least we have our Teddy ... Thank you, Flora. I'll send an owl to my sister today itself... Maybe after our meeting my name can go back on the Black's tapestry."

"The Black's tapestry?"

"A magic tapestry with the family tree, it's on the wall of Sirius's house, my cousin, which now is Harry's. My aunt kindly _burned_ Sirius's name and mine from the tapestry ... Family things." She smiled. "Harry, have you ever noticed whether Flora's name was on the tapestry or not?"

"It's been a long time since I went to Grimmauld Place. But it's weird; her name wasn't there when I first went to the house. After that I don't remember if I've put my eyes on it again."

"Rodolphus Lestrange must have bewitched the tapestry to not show it. So that nobody would have a hint of Flora's existence. Very well thought." Andromeda commented.

"Harry, can I make you a request?" Flora asked Harry.

Harry looked closely at Flora :

"Will you let me see this tapestry?"

"Of course,. I'll take you there. Right now?"

She looked at her aunt, as if asking for permission:

"Go baby. Come back whenever you like. Teddy can join us some other time so you can meet him then. Right now, he is at the Shell Cottage dating a bit. He can't stay for more than a couple of days away from Victoire."

"Bill has gotten him a job at Gringotts, hasn't he yet?" Harry asked her.

"Yes, he'll be starting as a trainee next week. He's very excited about that. Now you two better go; otherwise it's gonna get late for you to get back to Hogsmeade."

After bidding them farewell, Flora invited her aunt to tea in Hogsmeade, so she could meet her family, or at least, part of it, since Flora's older children were at school.

"I'll be waiting for you at my home in Hogsmeade, Aunt Andromeda for a couple of cups of tea. I am very happy to meet you. And you'll love my family, I'm sure ... Pity that my eldest two are in school ... Send me an owl when you want to come. It was really a pleasure meeting you".

Flora smiled when she realized that Harry had his arm extended waiting for her to finish talking so they could Disapparate.

"Shall we go then?"


	9. Grimmauld Place

9. Grimmauld Place

Grimmauld Place hadn't changed much since Sirius was gone. Harry liked to keep the house as it originally was. The only things he really minded to remove were the years-long dirt and the picture of Sirius' mother, that was now in the attic, a place where once lived a hippogriff.

The house was now clean and tidy, and slightly smelt of wood. All that had been eroded by time, moths or by doxies (biting fairies), had been replaced by similar objects or recovered altogether. Still, it was rather gloomy, but Flora wasn't intimidated by that. Kreacher, the house-elf was its only occupant. He no longer had the strength to get out of bed and so, he was looked after by a witch hired by Harry. She visited the elf three times a day, and brought him food. She also looked after the house. Harry went to visit him in Sirius's brother, Regulus's old room. The elf looked happy and interested in Flora. Harry introduced them, but as soon as Kreacher heard Flora's name, he said with his bullfrog's voice even huskier with his old age:

"Kreacher knows who she is" the elf said. "It was a closely guarded secret for many years. Kreacher was forced not to tell that to anybody, and this was his greatest betrayal against the Blacks. Mr Lestrange threatened to kill Miss Bella if he did it. Your name is on the tapestry, Flora Riddle." Hearing this, Flora clearly got excited to see the tapestry. Making a flourished gesture with her wand, she conjured up a wildflowers' bouquet to fill the small vase on the nightstand. Very pleased, Kreacher thanked her and showed them the door.

"I'll let you rest, then. Excuse me sir." Flora said.

Kreacher looked at her very surprised but didn't say anything. Harry stayed in the room a little longer, wondering what else he could do for Kreacher's welfare. The old elf got happy and once again asked Harry whether he could switch nurses, as he'd rather it be an elf than a witch.

"No problem. As soon as possible, we will do the change. I believe it will be in this week, all right?"

"Certainly, Mr. Potter. I trust you. If I may comment, _she_ doesn't look like Miss Bella, I think she's a different kind of a witch. Like you. But even so, be careful." said Kreacher.

"Oh, yes. Thank you, Kreacher."

"Now I must rest."

Kreacher turned on his side in the bed. Without waiting for the farewell, he immediately began to snore loudly. Harry wasn't sure if they were real or fake snores. However, he left the old elf alone and went after Flora. She was waiting on the stairs, on the floor below.

Flora and Harry went to the living room where the tapestry was nailed to the wall. At first glance there was no sign of her name. Harry drew a complicated series of movements with his wand, whispered strange words in Latin and finally the once burned names began to reappear as if they'd just been written. There came Flora's and Tom Marvolo Riddle's names followed by the name of Flora's husband and children, which could be seen again.

She looked closely at the triangle formed by her name along with her biological parents'. Taking a deep breath, she remained silent for a few minutes, patting her dumb lips with her fingers. Harry put his hand on her shoulder and comforted her. This brought her out of her trance:

"I forgot it wasn't just my name that would appear on it."

As she said this, she pointed her wand at her parents' names and burned them. She went on:

"But I still want to understand why these two people came to this point. Why were they so cruel?"

"I think I'm the person who best knew Voldemort, perhaps even better than himself or Dumbledore. I can show you some memories that may help. At Hogwarts, a very interesting object, a Pensieve is kept in the headmistress' office. Dumbledore used it to share memories, from his own and from other people as well. It's kind a hard to explain."

Flora turned to him, looking deeply in his eyes without penetrating them. Then she said:

"At least try to. I'm curious."

"Memory is a silvery fluid substance that can be extracted using the wand. If immediately stored in a bottle, it can be accessed in the Pensieve, we can literally dive into these memories when they are there and review, as if in a movie, what happened. It's just not possible to interact with those memories, we can just watch them. Dumbledore had a collection of memories connected to Tom Riddle. They helped us to defeat him."

"If it isn't very shocking for me, I'd like to see some of them."

"I'll talk to Professor McGonagall. But I think I can show you some of them myself. Shall we go back now?"

"Yes."

He reached for her and led her to the doorway, from where they Disapparated back to Hogsmeade.


	10. Tom Marvolo Riddle

10. Tom Marvolo Riddle

The days passed quickly. With the excuse of teaching Flora and Felipe all about the laws of the Ministry, Hermione had managed to take a leave of absence at work to help with her friends "training". Nobody was better suited for doing this than her, since she worked in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Furthermore, the minister personally believed that it'd be nice to keep an eye on the footsteps of Voldemort's heir. So, neither Hermione's nor Harry's absences from work were questioned even if they didn't systematically report back on work.

Flora and Hermione now "popped in" at the school library every day, despite Harry's fears that his friend was equipping Flora with too much. Actually, despite Ginny's protests, he too was doing the same. So now Ginny truly believed that Hermione had really been bewitched, as Flora was now her favorite subject.

What Ginny couldn't understand was that teaching magic to Flora was really magical - as Hermione stated after much thought- because Flora's ability to learn was extraordinary. Besides, the Brazilian witch was very interested in everything and extremely dedicated to learning.

In those daily visits to the library, they borrowed and returned books and more books. Back at Flora's house, they practiced for hours together. Hermione had set up a program with the basic topics that she believed were important to an adult witch. Hannah also took part in Flora's training, especially when it came to the preparation of potions and in magical plants' care, as it was a skill that she'd acquired from her husband.

Flora was a disaster as a caretaker of plants, but excelled in the preparation of potions. That made her teachers often feel sorry, because their former teacher, Severus Snape, had died without having had the opportunity to teach her. They even believed that his customary bad mood would have vanished before so bright a student.

Flora's evenings were very pleasant in the company of her two friends. Though Felipe's presence was becoming lesser and lesser to these classes or _Girls Club_ as he used to kid, he practiced a lot in his shop. Hogsmeade's residents eagerly taught him spells in exchange for computing classes. Aberforth, the owner of the pub next door, and a very old man, who could barely move his twisted fingers on the keyboard, was one of his most dedicated students. He had already created his own blog, called the Old Headless Hog (meaning that the head of the hog had been chopped off which now hung on top of the door of his pub) and, who, in turn, taught Felipe how to conjure a Patronus. For that, Felipe had to recall a happy memory, and this was easy for him as his life was good enough, which helped him make his Patronus very bright. His difficulty, though, was to choose which among his happy memories the strongest one was. Despite this "difficulty", his patronus, a huge condor, was so perfect that one could see every detail on its feathers.

Soon after lunch on a rainy day, an owl arrived with a message from Harry Potter. The note it brought informed her that because of the break, he would be coming in an hour to take her to the office of the Headmistress of the school.

Flora's heart pounded. She was afraid of what she would be seeing there, but as always, her curiosity surpassed her fear. Felipe was apologetic for not being able to go with them.

"I've promised Ab to help him with the improvement of the graph of his blog. Neville's coming too; he also has off this afternoon. Then we'll stop by Ab's who is going to cook for us, Neville once had said that Ab's food is unforgettable, but I couldn't understand if he was being sarcastic or was really praising him. Anyways, it's a program for boys only and I'm sure that it's going to be fun." Felipe replied enthusiastically.

Flora raised an eyebrow. Felipe went on:

"Don't worry. We won't do anything obscene. I'm even going to take Yan as he doesn't have any classes this afternoon. Now that he has discovered wizard chess, he won't rest till he finds a partner naughtier than him. He plays for the simple pleasure of seeing the pieces massacring each other."

"So, old Ab has made a blog?" Flora asked.

"Didn't I tell you? It's a huge success among the school's former students."

Flora smiled.

"I'm off, darling. I need to open the store. Take care, my love."

Felipe left Flora alone at home. She sent a message via mobile to Hermione, who was one of the few witches keen on using technology, informing her that they couldn't have classes that afternoon. She stopped by Hannah's and informed her too. She did not tell them the reason, as if the meeting with Harry was secret. Once she was finished with her housework, she sat on a rocking chair in the back porch to read a spell book. She was so absorbed in reading that she did not even see him coming. After rounding the house, Harry stood before her, dropping a shadow on her. She was suddenly startled, but then smiled and got up from her chair to greet him with a kiss on his cheek. Harry became a little embarrassed with her demonstration of affection. She apologized and explained to him that it was usual in Brazil.

Flora offered him juice; he accepted it. Afterward they walked along the road that went till the school gates:

"Today I'll show you one of Dumbledore's old memories. It dates back to the day he met Voldemort at the orphanage. Dumbledore paid them a visit to explain that the boy had been selected for a scholarship in a boarding school. I think you'll have a good idea about who Tom Riddle was since childhood."

They went along the path talking about the similarities and differences of their childhood, considering they both had been brought up by Muggle families. The marked contrast between them was that her upbringing had been extremely happy and immersed in love, his in turn was full of privations of all kinds. The talk flowed quite freely between them, as if they were old friends, siblings; or rather lovers.

Once they got there, they met Professor McGonagall near her office. She said that she'd leave them alone because of an appointment.

They walked past the gargoyle guarding the spiral staircase that led to her office. When they got there, Flora got very tense and held Harry's hand. Seeing that, he asked her whether she wanted to continue. She said that she did and that she'd decide what to do only after having experienced it.

Harry quickly greeted the past Hogwarts Headmasters and Headmistress painted in the pictures that hung from the wall. Nevertheless, he silently paused for a moment in front of Dumbledore's portrait. By his side, motionless, Flora silently followed the movements in the paintings. Then from a cupboard that looked like an old cabinet, he took the Pensieve together with a little bottle full of a pearly liquid. He turned it on the stone basin and the substance expanded, it was fluid like water, although it was not wet at all. It was something between a gas and a liquid. He signaled for her to "plunge" her face in it. It sounded strange to her, but she did as asked. She immediately felt as if she was falling into another dimension. Harry materialized next to her soon afterwards.

They followed a man in strange clothes till the gate of the orphanage. It was an austere building, apparently uninhabited, since one could not hear any sound from outside that indicated there were children in there.

The gentleman talked to the woman responsible for the place. She was surprised, since no one ever had come looking for the boy. She also hinted that the young lad had a bizarre behavior, but she was not clear about it, though; probably for being afraid nobody would take him away.

Flora saw the meeting between the boy and the gentleman that according to Harry, was the young Dumbledore. Flora noted that even then, Tom Riddle didn't have much moral sense and enjoyed pestering other children and animals; besides he used to commit petty thefts. After seeing all that, Flora and he came back from their dive in the Pensieve.

They left the office in silence. Harry was aware of her need to think all that over. The experience might have cracked her childhood dreams about her father being originally an innocent boy led astray by lack of love and understanding. But those were Harry's thoughts. But instead, after seeing her father as a beautiful boy with features very similar to hers as well as her children, Flora felt an even greater compassion for him. When she finally managed to speak, they were outside the castle, heading towards Hagrid's hut – Harry had warned her that he wanted to stop by to see his old friend

"Poor thing!" Flora sighed.

"Poor thing? I can't believe my ears!"

"You see, Harry. At that age we still can't say one is a psychopath. Of course, his behavior is unacceptable, but I have treated many similar ones in many years of practice... I keep on thinking that if he'd had the same opportunity as me, or a proper treatment, he might have had a different life."

"You are truly amazing. I don't know what to say."

Harry was angry with what he had heard. He did not say anything. They arrived at the hut and Hagrid helped smoothen things between them. Hagrid commented about his last class by talking about Hippogriffs and other very exotic animals. He also told them how much he had talked to Lia and Lily, who were inseparable now and seemed extremely interested in the dealing of magical creatures:

"It'd be no surprise if Lia turned up with a dragon's egg in your house, Flora... Actually, I've incubated one myself. Despite being a docile animal, it became difficult to live with the fires it breathed out." Hagrid laughed. "By the way, Flora, I am going to the Hog's Head. Aberforth has invited me. He said your husband would be there too. And Neville too. It's gonna be a time for boys only. Hope you don't mind me stealing your Harry."

Throwing her head back, Flora laughed to disguise Hagrid's embarrassing suggestion that Harry somehow could be hers. She replied back saying that it would not be a problem.

Hagrid said that it was already time for him to go, so he could walk with them to the village. When they arrived in front of the bar, Harry left Hagrid there and said that he would walk Flora home.

They got at her home very quickly. He looked into her eyes and asked:

"How can you naively find an explanation for everything?"

"I've been like that since I was a child... Seriously, Harry. I don't want to see anything else about my father. I've seen enough, and I already have my explanations. I'd like to know a little more about the Gaunts, but I don't think you have anything about them, do you?"

"I don't, but Dumbledore left a bottle of memories he got from a ministry official who had once investigated the Gaunts."

"Investigate? Were they also against the good-costumes?"

"Sort of. In fact they were fairly primitive... You'll see. Can I come back tomorrow?"

"If it doesn't disturb your routine much, yes you definitely can."

"Well, then see you tomorrow. Now I have to get going to that boys-only show."

Flora kissed him on the cheek. He blushed again. She simply commented that he would get used to it.


	11. I'll fly

11. I'll fly

Next morning, Harry could not get off his mind the image of Flora throwing her curly hair back when she laughed at Hagrid's hut: but this time the similarities between her and the terrible Bellatrix that got him worried weren't there . Actually, thoughts about Flora filled up his mind again. Apprehensive, he decided to send her an owl cancelling their meeting later on.

For the time being, he needed to set a greater distance between them so as to put things in a better perspective. He was safe when away from her, even though his cheeks still kept the memory of her kisses. At least, he didn't have to worry anymore about one of his greatest concerns: she didn't want to see anything else about Voldemort. She wouldn't know about the Horcruxes, which was a relief. Although she looked more and more sweet and honest, as a very powerful and intelligent witch, she was far from being harmless. He could see both qualities on how quickly she learned everything. Besides, she had an immense power over him. What was happening? He went on loving Ginny, more and more, but he was obsessed by another woman. Surely he'd withdraw a little from her. The need to work was a good excuse. As for that, the Ministry didn't lack work at all. Moreover, it had been a long time since he'd last watched Draco.

Flora is sad when she got Harry's owl. However, once she'd already dismissed her friends and mentors, she decided to practice something new.

Her aunt Narcissa had commented _en passant_ that Voldemort didnot need a broom to fly at the end of his life. By observing her son hovering in the air between small skips, she devised a possibility there. She hateed the idea of flying on brooms. She'd try it. Was there some instruction in a book?

After hours of researching in the books she'd borrowed from Hogwarts without finding anything, she decided to make a fool of herself in the backyard. She looked around to see if there was anybody watching – just in case. However, she knows no one would be craning over the fence, as it was not a habit among wizards to snoop on other people's lives.

She stood under the tree. Then, she imagineed herself flying. Nothing happens. She tried to concentrate harder; thought on the lightness of her hair; emptied her mind of any thoughts. Then she imagined her body getting lighter and lighter. Firstly she focused on her neck, then on her trunk, and finally on her feet. She closed her eyes. She swung a little before trying to soar up into the air. Nothing happened.

Smiling, she thought this kind of thing could only be done without anyone looking, just as then. Determined to fly, she thought on birds and imagined herself as a bird flying high up in the sky. She closed her eyes again, and focused on the flight. She even stood on tiptoes, and…nothing.

She shaked her head. No, she wouldn't give up so soon. If _he_ did, why wouldn't she? Was _he_ better than her? Flora got mad. She did not want to admit that the nasty Tom Riddle could have got more power than her. At that time, he was repulsive to her. She had mixed feelings for her father then. Shame and anger. She was angry he had made her go through the pain he caused to so many people.

She walked stepping on dry leaves in the yard. The feeling of them under her bare feet brought lightness, and quietness back to her. She went back to her exercises. She believed she was on the right track. She had to think on things that fly. She began to list them:

"1. Butterflies; 2. Birds; 3. Owls; 4. Bats; 5. Fairies; 6. Pixies; 7. Kites; 8. Airplanes; 9..."

She could not remember of anything else that flies. Then, a green leaf from the tree falls on her shoulder.

"9. Harry Potter…"

Why was she thinking on Harry Potter again? She would never seen him flying! She knows he was a great Quidditch player, Hermione had told her that, but anyway… She was angry with herself. And then she decided: the nineth item would be Yan:

"_9. Yan._ 10. Brooms, 11. Wingardium Leviosa..."

That was it. She needed to figure out a spell that made her fly. She took her wand and casted a spell of levitation on a stone. It rised in the air. Flora studied the stone, the wand. She felt the energy that flowed through her veins being channeled into her wand. It almost numbed her fingertips.

That was the trick. This was how she'd fly.

Then Hannah's calls from the gate interrupt her. Flora let go the stone, sticked the wand in her pocket, and run to her friend. Hannah had out-of-time cramps and was asking for her help. Flora drove her to the small clinic in town, in which a very attentive witch received them. While Hannah was resting, the witch quickly prepared a potion. Flora sent her husband a message asking him to tell Neville where they were. She spent the rest of the afternoon with her friend that got better soon. It had been only a mild discomfort. It'd take the baby more than three months to come yet. When Neville arrived at evening, Flora went home.

Yan, Felipe, and her got home almost at the same time. After dinner, they played wizard's chess. The loser should clean the kitchen.

Flora was oblivious of the game. She had her mind on Hannah, on the baby, on the flying stone... She got scared when her queen was shattered by the black king's sword:

"Mom, what's happening; do you want to checkmate my king with your piece next to him? Do you really think I'm eager to do the dishes?"

"Sorry, son. I was with my mind on Hannah. I was so worried about her this afternoon that I can't concentrate now. Doing the dishes will do me good, mainly because I won't use magic."

She got up and went to the sink. She needed to get her hands wet in the cold water; to wait for the soap to form bubbles, and to see them bursting afterwards. A bubble comes loose and floats in the air for a moment. Flora remembers of her flying attempts. They seemed to have happened a thousand of years before.

An owl came through the window still open. She knew that owl. Flora's husband took the letter and said. "It's for you. Harry says he's coming tomorrow morning to take you to the school again." She replied with an emotionless "thank you", as if Felipe had said that the rubbish collection schedule had changed. He found it strange and said:

"If you want to stop with it, we'll ask him not to come."

"No, it's not that. You may reply confirming I'll be waiting for him. However, it was so shocking last time that I'm afraid of what I can find now. I decided that I won't try to know anything else about Voldemort. I already know enough. It only pays to know about the terrible things he did not to repeat them. I can just pity him for having killed and tortured lovely people. Every day I'm more grateful to Mr. Lestrange."

"Me too." Felipe smiled.

"Tomorrow we should investigate a little about my paternal grandmother's family. Harry said he kept a reminder. It's crazy, love, memories stored in bottles. One day you must come with us to see that."


	12. The Gaunts

12. The Gaunts

Next morning, Flora met Harry in front of Felipe's small shop. She kissed her husband on the lips. Harry looked away. Then he said:

"Are you ready?"

"Yes, let's go."

They were nearly halfway when Flora broke the silence by venting out:

"Harry, it's being hard for me. I've never been so angry before. I was trying to fool myself by wishing my father had something good in him, but he hadn't, had he? Yesterday I took Hannah to the clinic, she was a little unwell. I looked at her, and thought: how could he have killed so many people, torn apart so many families, and spread so much sadness? Hannah hasn't got a mother; whose fault is it? You haven't got a father or a mother; Andromeda lost her only daughter, her husband and son in law. It's terrible. At least, I hope the Gaunts are better."

Harry did not reply. Instead he just tapped awkwardly on her shoulder (his intention was to hug her) and remained silent. He knew the Gaunts were not much better.

When they got to Hogwarts, Lia and Lily were chasing butterflies in the lawn. They explained that their quills and scrolls had been transfigured into butterflies by Ricardo, Scorpius, James, and Albus. So, they would not be able to write in their next class. Harry laughed and quickly undid the spell.

Lia could not disguise her disappointment as she was really marveled by her butterflies. Flora and Harry kissed the girls and went into the castle. Harry said that he had never imagined seeing Draco's son doing something fun with their children.

"Ricardo can do amazing things. He must have shown the three of them that there is no reason for a house to keep on picking at the other. See, even he, who is a Slytherin descendant is in Gryffindor. Just be careful, my son is as smart as a prankster can be, and he's going to lead yours astray."

Harry smiled:

"So it's going to be hard to tell who is leading who astray. James seems to have combined in one person all the rompy genes. They come from the Weasley twins and from my father who were reputed as being averse to the rules. Filch still remembers them all."

They laughed. When they got to the Headmistress' office, they found a note stuck at the Gargoyle,

"Harry and Flora, feel at ease. I'll be back later."

They once again entered the cabinet. Flora felt better now after having met her daughter. She remained silent while Harry got the stone Pensieve out and a small bottle full of a pearly substance. He reached out for her and they plunged once again into someone's memories; now into those of an unknown officer of the Ministry of Magic.

They saw two men in a small house that looked sloppy. The younger of them was being summoned to attend the Ministry to clarify the reason for having used magic against a Muggle the day before. The officer, though, was ill-treated in the Gaunts' house. The men humiliated him to show that they were more powerful than him because they were Slytherin's descendants. The poor man was just a little less abused than a woman who too was treated with contempt and violence. She was the Gaunt's daughter. Flora could also see her paternal grandfather who stopped over during a horse ride.

The witch felt sick seeing this and so asked Harry to stop the plunge. Returning back to the present, Flora was so disgusted at the Gaunt's arrogant and perverse behavior that she was almost felt dizzy and leaned against Harry. Flora sympathized with her grandmother and for over half an hour stayed in shock, sickened at the way the old lady was treated in her youth. Harry said nothing; instead, he just put his arm around her shoulders, and brought her head against him. At that moment, Prof. McGonagall returned to the room. She saw the gloomy scene and immediately understood that the memory had been too much for Flora. So, she made them tea.

Flora thanked her for the tea. The tears flowed quietly and freely down her face. The headmistress who was quite experienced and wise, said:

"The important thing here is not to lose sight of who we are. It's not our ancestor's blood that determines our moral integrity."

"I know that. I was just afraid. Besides, I also couldn't help feeling my grandmother, Merope's pain. She was never loved by anyone. She was less than nothing in her own home. Harry had told me the story before, but not all the cruelty. If I could, I'd surely have gotten rid of all this disgusting blood... Sorry, I know I'm being pathetic. It isn't proper behavior for a woman my age, I apologize."

Flora got up and almost shocked when she noted how she was nestled in Harry's arms. She looked at him in the eyes and thanked him. Then she said she would like to leave now. Harry too got up to accompany her, but she begged him not to as she wanted to be alone. She could not tell him the truth. She was sick because everything she despised was also present in her guts. In a way, to be arrogant was natural to her while to be nice and correct demanded an ever going effort from her. As she was forced to be at every moment of her life. Now she knew why.

She got home in a wink of time and spent the rest of the morning crying on her bed.


	13. Slytherin

13. Slytherin

Few hours later, Harry stopped over her house to see how she was doing and found Hannah taking care of her. Flora was sleeping in her room. He went to Felipe's shop, and told him about what had happened. Felipe got concerned, but assured his friend that his wife was strong. She would definitely get better by the next day.

He was right. When Flora awoke the next morning her expression was serene, but she said to her husband that her heart was broken. However, she was aware that nothing could be done about the past; what matters is the future. By that she meant her children and grandchildren. They would and had to surely show the world that people could improve. And that's what she'd do. She had made up her mind to apply for the position of Muggle Studies teacher. She would prove that being Voldemort's descendant was not a sentence. But first of all, she wanted to reach the end of her investigations.

Flora asked Felipe to send out an owl to Harry Potter with the following message:

Harry Potter

Thank you for yesterday."I'm ready again to continue my journey through the history of my ancestors."

I hope you haven't given up on helping me.

Kisses for you and Ginny

Flora

In the afternoon, while she was taking spell classes with Hermione, she got Harry's reply:

Flora,

Glad you're feeling better.

I'll continue helping you whenever you need me.

Believe me; the worst is over.

When ready, please contact me.

Kisses and hugs for you and Felipe

Harry

Flora asked Hermione to accompany them the next time she would encounter her past. Hermione accepted her invitation, mainly because they would be going to the Chamber of Secrets. She knew that, because Harry had already told her what he would be doing when it was Slytherin's turn. Besides, her sister-in-law Ginny - who smelt a rat in what concerned Flora and Harry - had also asked her to do the same.

Just two days later, they were again walking to the school. This time Harry was silent, listening to the chatter of the two witches. Hermione explained how she had managed to turn the elves' release into law (how she had managed to convince the elves to accept freedom and decent working conditions, especially in terms of good wages, and weekly rest - as they were used to thinking that all this was a dishonor to them). Flora had heard wonders about these stories, and was proud to have Hermione as her friend.

The school yard was empty, as most classes were busy in writing tests, and whoever was not, was studying for them. They met an unusual silence.

As soon as they got into the castle, Harry started talking about Slytherin and his preference for pure-bloods, which ultimately turned into an obsession that culminated with his split with Gryffindor and consequently with the school.

"I'll show you today the Chamber of Secrets that was the concrete result of Slytherin's obsession, which, in Tom Riddle's times, had disastrous consequences.

They went to the ladies toilet that still guarded the secret passage to Slytherin's chamber. Harry asked Flora to stand in front of a sink, which had a tiny snake drawn on its old copper tap. Then, he asked her to utter the word "open" in Parseltongue – he could have done it himself, but he wanted to give her the opportunity to experience the grandeur of Slytherin's magical power, even thousands of years after his death.

The small snake appeared to move. While Flora was still looking at the agile movement of the snake, the sink suddenly vanished. In its place she could see the entrance to a narrow and dark tunnel. Harry told her to follow him. She did that without any hesitation or doubt, due to her enormous confidence in him. Hermione followed closely behind. They slipped through the tunnel that reminded Flora of a water park toboggan, without an end, with a strong smell of mold, and with a little less water (it was not dry, but there was no water flowing in it either).

"Is it really long or is it my anxiety that makes it look longer? Laughing nervously, Flora asked her friends who were now only sounds in the darkness."

"It's long, but as far as I can remember we're already close to its end." Hermione affectionately replied.

The way down ended and they reached a dark room-like place. The three said together "Lumos" and a dim light emitted from their wands, clearing their way as if it was poor day-light.

Nothing in the chamber reminded of the monster that it once hid. Only the labyrinthine circular tunnels were still there, but not a trace of the basilisk, not even its bones.They walked in silence along a winding tunnel until a stone wall on which were carved two intertwined snakes appeared. Their eyes were made of emeralds and when Harry pointed his wand at them the whole place went green. He gave way to Flora again.

She looked at the snakes for a moment. They looked real. She caressed them, closed her eyes and a chill ran down her spine. Her chest filled with air and she suddenly knew what to do and hissed:

"_Open up_."

The snakes moved away and the walls gave way to a long passage into a lengthy and high-ceiled chamber. A diffuse green light that seemed to emanate from nowhere illuminated the place, giving it a strangely comfortable look, Flora thought. They remained in silence while walking towards the bottom of the chamber. Flora took out her shoes along the way. Harry and Hermione got curious, but did not say anything.

The cold ground and the tall columns that lined up the way, gave Flora the impression that she was walking inside a large snake. But she kept such feelings to herself, as she herself could not understand exactly what they meant. Her heart pounded and she felt as if every step was a surrender to the truth about her life: she was Slytherin's heir. Her eyes were moist, so was her skin. She was breaking into a cold sweat, but strangely enough she felt extremely well.

They got to the end. Slytherin's statue stood still. While looking at it, Harry told her the story of when he first went in there; about Tom Riddle's image gaining strength while Ginny was dying on the ground. His whispered voice reverberated in the immensity of the place, which gave her the impression that they were in a kind of temple. Flora fixed her gaze on Slytherin's face; his hollow eyes seemed to look at her sternly. She felt so small, and immediately felt the urge to fight this feeling, to show her superiority over her ancestor. She shook her head to wave away this thought and tried to pay attention to the story Harry was telling her. It was about a sword inside the sorting hat, a giant snake he killed and a diary he destroyed. She had no idea about how the story had reached this point, but she was ashamed of asking for further explanation. While telling her the story, Harry took care not to mention anything about the true nature of Tom Riddle's diary, the first Horcrux ever found.

He just said that the diary, Salazar Slytherin's locket, as well as Cadmus Perverell's ring (objects that were in the hands of Voldemort), all these objects had been destroyed because they contained black magic.

Flora did not go sick even after listening to all that, including the story of how Hagrid had lost the right to have a wand – an error that was rectified after seventy years. Somehow she had expected to hear terrible stories about her father, so nothing surprised her much. She came back from the exploration of the depths of the castle, assured of being the descendant of that rude and stone looking man.


	14. The secret of the tower

14. The Secret of the Tower

It had been two weeks since Potter's last visit. Flora was becoming more and more distressed because she missed talking to him terribly. It was not that her husband or her friends did not fulfill that role well enough, but it was different talking to Harry. There was a kind of empathy between them.

Flora began to notice that some people in Hogsmeade treated her differently, some even with contempt. Others seemed to want to challenge her all the time, as if to test her to see what she was capable of doing. When she noticed that, she spared herself and ignored them. But those people were held in certain contempt by her as the belief that _they had nothing better to do_ grew inside her.

She wrote to Harry asking him to come and talk to her as soon as possible.

That evening, Flora was at Hogwarts, at the astronomy tower studying the places of stars and constellations (she'd asked astronomy professor for some tips). When she was tired of looking at the sky, she climbed the small wall built around the tower.

Right then, Harry arrived. He misinterpreted the scene, and instead thought that she was going to jump. Scared, he almost fainted; then he tried to call her attention without scaring her.

Without going down, she told him:

"I've found out something new, don't worry, I'm not going to fall down. Look!"

And she immediately began to float towards him. His memory struck him, then. He had never seen another wizard doing that but Voldemort. Nevertheless, she came smiling, which was even more disarming than an _Expelliarmus_.

Happy with her achievement, she hugged and kissed him on the cheek:

"Thank you for coming. I didn't expect that you would meet me so early. How did you find me here?"

"Hannah told me you were coming here to watch the stars. -What's that? You got me scared... I thought you were going to jump… and.. fall down!"

And then a gust of wind flipped her hair; her bright green cloak lightly shined and highlighted the blue of her eyes. Harry let out an exclamation:

"How beautiful you are!"

Flora got closer to him and spoke softly:

"Harry, we're both old enough to know that my appearance is the least important thing to me. I've been younger, fatter, thinner, had shorter, longer, smoother hair, and it has been painted in many different colors. My appearance is constantly changing. And I celebrate each strand of white hair, every wrinkle that appears on my face, every freckle that comes out on my white skin... I celebrate them because they're full of history, just as this castle walls. It is not my appearance that should matter to you, but my essence."

Flora took a deep breath and continued:

"Although, I can use my Muggle name with pride - Gressler Ferreira instead of Riddle, don't play the fool: I can talk to snakes. Then, rather than a Riddle, I'm a Slytherin. So, I need you. I want you always by my side..."

"Yes."

And then Harry hugged her, looking deeply into her eyes and kissed her on the mouth. The warmth of his lips made her shudder. She pushed him away a little. She needed to talk. Caressing his face gently, her eyes deeply immersed him, Flora whispered softly:

"As I was saying, it's not this way I need you by my side, no matter how much I want you. I'm a Slytherin, there are some things in me that you can't even begin to imagine. The load of this surname... The arrogance and the need for power, no matter how loathsome they are; all these scream inside me. I fight every moment, every day against them, trying to suppress them to the bottom of my soul."

Flora took his hands in hers, and looking deeply in his eyes, she continued:

"I want you by my side because there's something Felipe will never be able to do for me. I want you by my side so that one day if I falter and end up succumbing to the pressures of my family blood, I want you to be there to make sure I'll have the same end as my father."

She saw something incomprehensible in his eyes just before he looked down; then, he took a deep breath and said:

"All right."

With some owls, wind and stars to witness that moment and without knowing why, Flora closed her eyes and surrendered in to the kiss of her life.


	15. Concerns

Concerns

Despite Flora's request and Harry's promise, they didn't meet again for weeks. They both knew what had happened and neither of them wanted things to be this way. Harry loved Ginny, Flora loved Felipe, and even so, Harry and Flora fell in love. Therefore, they didn't exchange a word; neither through owls, nor through e-mails. They fell silenced before the inevitable reality of their last kiss.

Harry tried not to think of her, but to no avail. He was angry; how could she assume he'd be able to kill her? Why did she assume he loved her less than Felipe? Harry snorted through the corridors of the Ministry. He needed to talk to someone, but it couldn't be to his best friend Ron who eventually would beat up Harry for his sister's betrayal. But it surely hadn't been intentional.

Harry took a huge pile of papers that needed to be organized, signed, and shipped; among them raid reports that had to be written. He smiled when he realized that all that bureaucracy would be useful for something noble: to hide him. He went to his desk and sorted out tons of papers by making four high towers with them according to the type of service each one required. Afterwards he hid himself behind them. Doing this was very unusual for him, since he hated bureaucratic work (that's why there was so much accumulated work in his office). Normally he'd be directing the other Aurors on raids or patrols, or when all was quiet, he'd be in the other departments giving them a hand. Even Draco had noticed that something was wrong with him. Harry was strange, angry, and very, very quiet.

Guilt was consuming his bowels and it was as intense as his anger, or as the kiss Flora had given him. If all she wanted was that he eventually kill her (she should know he hadn't killed Voldemort, but rather only made things easier for this to happen), then she'd not have kissed him. That's it. Flora was manipulating him again. Convinced that, in reality the woman who was now assumed as being Slytherin's heir, had kissed him deliberately, he got a little peace along his working day.

Filled with guilt, Harry brought a bouquet of flowers for Ginny when he got home. (a baffling cliché) and invited her to go to Ron's place.

"You have been so strange, love."

"I've had a lot of problems at work, so I haven't been able to concentrate. I think I need holidays. Let's see if a little chat helps it."

They came to the Ron's and found Hermione, Angelina and George also there. Actually their in-laws light chitchat and good humour helped Harry forget Flora for a moment. It was all right till Hermione told them that Flora had helped Hannah, who had now reached final stages of her pregnancy.

"She is amazing. She finds time for everything! And see, she doesn't even have a time-turner. When I told her about them, she was delighted, and said it'd be the perfect solution for the overactive hyperactive ones like her former patients. She also said that she preferred to stretch time her own way, by enjoying every minute, or by savouring it like it was a delicious dessert ... Speaking of it, she has sent a delicious blueberry pie, would anybody care for it?"

"I don't know, she is Voldemort's daughter... How we'll know it's not poisoned?"

"Ron Weasley! I can't believe you've said that! You know-all, I've seen her baking it and I assure you there's nothing wrong with it."

"So, you can cut three large pieces for me. I'm growing sideways, you know. If I neglect it, I lose weight, and then you get a smaller husband per square yards to grab." Ron replied, chiding Hermione a little.

Hermione served the pie for everyone. Harry relished it and could not stop thinking about Flora. He even smiled when he remembered how much she was loved and dotted on Hannah (and on everyone else around her). Hermione was right: she was amazing! What a monster he was to judge her so badly. He shook his head; he needed to go back to the conversation. Now everyone was laughing, but he had completely missed the joke, yet he grinned.

Ginny and Harry got home late. They fell asleep in bed hugging each other in the blue sheets like the blueberries in the pie.

Harry dreamed of Flora; of her beauty and hair in the wind as well as of her usual pink lips, and pale skin, skipping lightly on the roofs of houses, and making her look like a cat. He woke up happy with that picture in his head and looked at his wife who was sleeping peacefully by his side. He felt a terrible guilt, so he silently wept as Truth hurt. He loved two women, but he had no choice: he had taken his decision 15 years before when he got married.

Things were not much different in Hogsmeade either. Flora's heart was bleeding too. So as to not think about Harry, she tried to keep herself as busy as she could. She was feeling vulnerable and abandoned for not having received any news from him. She didn't ask anything to Hermione in their almost daily meetings which had started almost two months before.

She was sad, especially so, because, since the news that Voldemort was her father had spread, some people were treating Felipe and her differently, no matter how much they tried to prove that they were quite unlike her father. Customers went away from Felipe's shop and training school.

She went to bed exhausted. She had spent the day with Hannah, and helped her out with the household chores. Flora had also massaged her to help blood circulation, since Hannah was having cramps more and more frequently in her late stages of pregnancy.

_"The dream was vivid. It seemed that she was there. She walked among the trees, no one could see her. She reached a clearing, there were people there. Hagrid was bound to a tree. He shouted when her invisibility cloak fell to the floor. Her father was in front of her. He was saying something regarding the delay and other things that she did not quite understand, __as__it was not her__, __Flora__, who __was there in front of him.__ He pointed his wand at her and a jet of green light erupted from it. And then, everything was very white." _

Flora woke up, with light beads of sweat on her forehead. Felipe was snoring loudly beside her. He had not witnessed anything. He was protected. She did not understand the dream, it seemed to be about another person's life; but whose? It was not clear at all. What she had seen could not be the memory of anyone alive. After all, she had already heard of the green spell; the spell of death. But no one could escape it, no one unarmed...She struggled a bit more to remember where she had seen those memories before. The light breeze that escaped through the cracks of the window flapped the curtain. That looked kind of spooky. She smiled. She was not afraid of ghosts. In fact, she did not fear anything else but death of her loved ones.

The moonlight shone outside. The tree was almost bare. Nevertheless, a single leaf that was still green while all the others were already red-yellowish or had fallen, remained. Her eyes were fixed on that single green leaf. It reminded her of an eye ... Of course! They belonged to the only one who had survived the death curse: Harry Potter. She surely had seen his recollection, and very likely of that moment when she asked for the most difficult thing in her life: her own death. So that was it, he had asked to die too. Or had surrendered exactly how she would surrender to him when she could no longer bear her darker impulses, that everything which was freezing her soul.

Flora got up from bed to admire the green leaf. She smiled. He had kissed her. It was good. But Felipe was her safe haven; she could never betray him no matter how much that pair of green eyes called for her. She went back to bed and found the warmth in her husband's arms. Before falling asleep, she decided that she would treat herself to a "Muggle's day" next morning, and would find a beauty salon in the nearest town. It would be nice to ease the pressure of being herself.


	16. Flora Riddle

16. Flora Riddle

Next morning she received a gift from nature: snow. Small flakes were falling, forming a white layer still modest on the ground. Flora was about four years old last time she had seen snow. It was on a visit to her Muggle grandmother who lived in the south of Brazil. Excited, she ran outdoors in her robe to see the tiny flakes that fell from the sky, but then she slipped on the footpath and felt flat on her backside. She laughed at herself. Felipe rushed to her and slipped too. They laughed a lot, and kissed each other. Flora turned her face to the sky and opened her mouth:

"What a pity! In my distorted recollections the snow had a sweet taste. If I hadn't tasted it again, it'd be sweet forever."

"You are amazing, dear."

"Felipe, help me up. Today I'm going to take Yan to school and pass by the beauty salon. If I've had a bride's day1once, now I can have a Muggle's day to forget about everything. I need to let the hair dye run through the pores of my head and poison my mind with nonsensical things."

Laughing, Felipe shook his head.

"Just don't come back bald please. I guess I wouldn't get used to you."

He said it with love while pulling her hair to kiss her. Afterward, he tried to get up just to find he was glued to the ground, because of thin ice. Flora was also like that. He commented:

"What a situation!"

She rebuked him:

"You don't seem to be a wizard!"

She took out her wand that was in the pocket of her robe and the two came off quickly. While doing this, she remembered Merope Gaunt and got sad: she should not have said that to Felipe:

"Sorry, love. Sorry; I didn't mean it."

Felipe smiled again the way she loved and said that she needed have her hair dyed deeply, beyond her pores ... she needed to decontaminate her blood, it might be _too pure_.

After breakfast and before getting the car in the garage, they said goodbye. The car was with its battery lowered. However, this was not much of a problem for her, since with a touch of her wand everything was all right. Flora dropped by Hannah's place first to see how she was doing, as she did not want to leave her friend alone at this delicate time. She drove off carefully not to slip, passed by the home of the boys who shared the ride with Yan and drove along the road. Due to bad weather, she was about forty minutes late. She left the kids at school and went to her _Muggle's Day_.

After asking for directions to some people who were talking in a grocery store, Flora found a small beauty salon with a sign hanging from the door written "open" and "come in". Flora went inside. It was a makeshift place in front of the hairdresser's house. It just had a basin and two red chairs with height adjustment. One had a broken leg and was resting on a rustic wooden stump. Flora regretted not being able to do a spell to repair the foot of the chair. After all, today was her Muggle's Day and nothing would change it. The walls were covered with a worn, but beautiful wallpaper of tiny flowers.

The salon's owner arrived soon afterward, and her nice appearance matched the decoration, including her flowery dress, that looked a lot like the wallpaper. Flora smiled. They talked quickly. Flora asked for a "treat" in hair, nails and if it was possible, she would also like to have a relaxing massage. The owner seemed to find the request strange. She said that usually she did not make massages except in the scalp, when she hydrated someone's hair.

"Whatever. Do it then please. Don't worry about the cut. I can see you have a good taste and you'll cut it in the style that looks better on me. Play as you like with my hair, do your art." Flora smiled at the woman.

With this "carte blanche" to do whatever she wanted, the poor hairdresser looked at her for a moment, then flipped through some old magazines and decided what to do. She started to tell her plan to Flora, who cut her short and asked it to be a surprise. Her only demand was to have a lighter hair – she wanted to look more like her aunts than her mother. She did not worry about the result, nothing would happen that time could not fix. She was determined not to use magic to change her looks. She closed her eyes and almost fell asleep. She tried to think of her dogs running in flowery fields. She remembered Narcissa's letter that had arrived three days before, telling that the customs had finally allowed the dogs to enter the country. She would soon be bringing them over. Flora tried to distance herself from her worries as much as possible, but as soon as she looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes reminded her of the little Tom Riddle's. She closed her eyes again and fell asleep.

"Ready."

Flora opened her eyes and saw a blonde woman in the mirror; her hair was straightened and its length went just below her shoulders. Her new coloured hair matched her eyes. However, how it looked didn't matter, since she had got what she sought: a little peace. She paid for the work, and gave the lady a good tip. The time spent there was invaluable.

When she opened the door, she saw across the street one of the same men she had talked to at the grocery store. Disguising his intent, he began to follow her. She had left the car near her son's school, a few blocks away. Realizing that he was still following her, she walked onto a deserted street (doing the opposite of a Muggle woman, but Flora wanted a chance to defend herself by using her wand if necessary). She searched for her wand in her bag but could not find it. She began to run then. The man behind her ran too. Flora could not think of anything, he was too close. She stumbled and he held her tightly, ripping her blouse. In rage, she managed to channel the magic in her body without the wand and threw the man away from her. She then, soared to get faster to the car. She got in the car, and found her wand in the front panel. She was so distraught when she went to the beauty salon that she had forgotten to take it. She started to cry, while she repaired the blouse with a spell. She knew she'd broken the law and she worried about this.

Two wizards came about the entrance of the alley in which the offender still laid unconscious. Sometime later they came back to find her. She got out of the car and went to them. One of them, the tallest one with black eyes and a rough look, said:

"So, Voldemort's daughter has begun to attack innocent Muggles? We knew that it'd happen soon. Do you do it for pleasure or because you're bored?"

Flora could not reply, she was still in shock. She could not believe that after an assault her aggressor was the victim, not her. She looked at the wizards from the ministry with anger and indignation. The shorter blonde one handed her an envelope:

"You'll have to explain yourself. We had to do a lot of work to repair the damage you did. You're being summoned to the ministry to explain yourself."

Flora took the envelope and walked back to the car without saying a word. She shrank back up and starts crying. She decided to go home and ask Felipe to fetch the boys. She needed a rest.

When she got to Hogsmeade she was in shock. Someone had painted on the wall of her house the same black mark found on her uncle's arm. She was aware the men from the ministry had spread the news.

Flora got in and closed all the windows. She found a note from Neville on the kitchen table informing her that he and Hannah were in another wizarding town a little far away. He had already said that when the time came, they would go there for Hannah to have her baby with a well-known midwife. She regretted not being able to be with her friend at that time.

Her whole body ached from an intense pain. She knew that her suffering was not just physical pain. Her world had collapsed. She wept huddled in a corner of the kitchen. She remembered of her children. She had not asked Felipe to pick up the children. Yan and his friends' school bell would be ringing soon. With a lot of effort, she stood up, got changed, washed her face, picked up her wand and started walking toward her husband's shop. She felt prying eyes on her, but did not face them. She took a deep breath and quickened her step. Felipe had just learned what the two men from the ministry had spread about. He met his wife in front of the shop and looked at her with a question on his face:

"What is it they're saying, Flora?"

She found it odd, as he did not usually call her by the name. But she tried to summarize what happened to her, taking a deep breath at every moment so as not cry again. He understood it, believed his wife and hugged her. She handed the envelope to her husband. Felipe read it quickly and said that unfortunately they were forbidden to leave town until the hearing date.

"I'll close the store and we'll get Yan. He may have come out already."

Felipe noticed a small crowd of people in front of the shop. He signalled to Flora stay inside. He came out and asked what they wanted. The people outside demanded that Flora come out, as they would not allow her to disturb the local peace. Felipe tried in vain to explain that she had done nothing but defend herself. However the crowd did not want explanations. As he would not back away, three wands _stuppored_ him at the same time. Felipe fell to the ground unconscious; a trickle of blood running down his nose. Flora went to the door as soon as she heard the thud of her husband falling to the ground. She saw the blood, and got into despair. She had no time to take him from the ground, as she would also be attacked. So in an act of desperation, she cast Stunning spells everywhere. She was hardly attacked by the inhabitants of Hogsmeade. She was agile, but feared that some of the spells might hit her husband again, so she flew over the shop. Some people chased her with brooms. She tried to be fast, but a curse hit her arm. She felt a searing pain and saw that she was bleeding. She tried to fly higher, to run away. She did not want to hurt anyone. They insisted on the pursuit.

She jumped from roof to roof, while casting _Expelliarmus_ everywhere. The idea of throwing curses occurred to her, but she tried to dismiss it by throwing her hair about like she was waving an insect away. She was aware that she was alone right now. She only saw people coming from everywhere and throwing on her jets and more jets of red light. She did not know how to _Apparate_; she could not escape. In the sequence, she blocked various spells and was hit by a _Cruciatus Curse_. While she writhed in pain, she could see that it came straight from the tall ministry officer. She looked down and realized that she was back on top of her husband's shop, but could no longer see him lying on the floor. She got in despair, but soon saw old Aberforth carrying his still unconscious body into the Hog's Head. Though this distraction almost disarmed her, she quickly returned the spells that came from all sides. She dodged the jet of green light coming out of the same man who had cast her the _Cruciatus Curse_. She flew to another roof, but she slipped when landing. While she was falling was hit by an _Expelliarmus_ and lost her wand. It would be her end. The enraged crowd would not spare her. But nothing happened to her. A Harry Potter coming from nowhere _apparated_ by her side. He took her by the arm as she slipped from the roof, hurting all over. He stunned her opponents and _disapparated_ with her the instant she fainted.

1 Bride's Day: Day in which the bride has special treatment in the beauty salon,


	17. The new secrets of the Shrieking Shack

17. The new secrets of the Shrieking Shack

When she woke up they were in an uninhabited dirty wooden house with nailed windows. She laid on the floor with her head on Harry's legs. He was taking care of the wound in her arm as well as of another one in her face that she was not aware of yet.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"Shhhhhhh."

Harry signaled her to be quiet. Her head and arms were in pain. Her wounds were still bleeding a lot, but Harry cast a counter-spell that temporarily closed the cut.

"I didn't do anything; the Muggle man attacked me. I didn't even have my wand with me." Flora tried to explain herself.

He looked at her:

"Stay calm, I believe you. Later on, you can tell me what happened exactly, but, for now, you need to rest."

"I can't! Where is Felipe?"

"Stay calm. Draco and Hermione were with me to calm down people and take care of your family."

"How did you know what was going on?"

For a moment she thought that she might be getting tracked.

"You will not settle down if I don't tell you, right?"

Flora shook her head slightly. Harry explained:

"Draco heard a talk in the ministry halls; they were saying that Chris Burbage had commented that he would have the revenge he always wanted. Draco came to me at once, he knew that Chris was watching you, waiting to attack you in case you were at any fault. His mother, who was the teacher of Muggle Studies, was coldly tortured and killed by Voldemort in the dining room of Draco's house. Damn! I can't close this cut!" Harry got a little disappointed and furious with himself. "It seems like a spell I casted on Draco in the sixth year of school ... Snape invented it and knew how to cure it, but I think the correct counter-spell died with him. Maybe at St. Mungo's they know what to do, but I can't take you there. Not yet. I'm waiting for Hermione to send a message saying that everything is under control. If we go back before that, we won't have any chance."

"Did you cast this spell on Draco? Was it an accident?" Flora asked carefully.

"No, it wasn't. I told you: Draco and I were not friends in school days, quite the contrary. Since Voldemort had already returned and was arranging things to take power again, the ministry had finally recognized that he was back. Before school started I saw Draco and his mother in Diagon Alley acting suspiciously. Lucius was in prison and they blamed me for that (Draco couldn't see that the error lies in who commits the crime; if his father was in prison it was because he was a Death Eater)." Harry took a deep breath and shook his head sideways. "Definitely Draco and I were never best friends. We started that year with him breaking my nose..." Harry smiled. "I spent that year with an eye on him. I suspected him, I thought that he was a Death Eater. There were several murder attempts at school and I believed he was the criminal. And he was. One day, I cornered him in the bathroom and tried to force him to tell the truth. That's when we fought. I had no idea of what the spell did. I was a little scared, but Snape came and saved him. Later I learned that Voldemort had threatened him with death in case he didn't kill Dumbledore, who was the only wizard Voldemort ever feared. I only learned about that after Snape's death, because he asked me to gather his memories just before it happened. So I finally understood Draco."

Harry stopped talking, to try and recast the spell that would stop the blood that ran again from her arm.

"Wow! And how come Draco and you ended up working together after so much hostility?"

Harry snorted. She seemed to talk as if nothing was happening.

"After all was finished, I knew that Draco was not so bad. Then, when I became head of the department, I invited him to work with me because his knowledge of black magic would be very useful. He's always thought that I did so to keep him under my eyes, and that was not entirely wrong. But after all these years, we now can get along reasonably well. We aren't friends, but we respect each other enough. And he is becoming a better man every day."

"I see."

He caressed her face. The day was getting dark, so he turned on the light with his wand. He asked her:

"Why did you think I could kill you?"

"I'm sure you'd do the right thing. I'm afraid one day I can't stop myself ... I must admit that when I found myself under attack I thought of casting a few death curses. I was cornered ... And I knew exactly how to do them."

"Why didn't you do it?" Harry asked curiously.

"Because I'd never kill anyone! What a ridiculous question!" Flora could not believe Harry had asked that.

"Me either." He said looking in her eyes deeply.

"But you killed my father... I know you would do the right thing. You killed him and would kill me too if I become like him."

Harry got angry:

"No, I didn't kill him. His curse hit my disarming spell and rebounded back on him. What I did was to make him vulnerable to it. However, this is a story I want to leave for another day ... You should know I'd never kill you." Harry sighed and said, his heart pounding: "I love you. It hurts, you know?"

Flora swallowed hard before answering:

"I love you too… And it hurts me too."

They were silent, listening to the echo of what they had just said. She huddled over in his lap. The weather got cooler, so he lit a flame to warm them. Even so, Flora began to shiver. She had lost too much blood and was having difficulties in keeping her body warm. He unbuttoned his shirt to better warm her with the warmth of his own body. Every ten minutes he needed to recast the healing magic.

"What have you done to your hair?" Harry broke the silence to distract his mind from the touch and feel of her skin against his.

"Oh, I've instituted myself a Muggle's Day. In it I went to the hairdresser; then I had my hair painted, cut, and brushed. Now I'm blonde." She smiled, but felt uneasy about being in such close contact with him, especially just after they had declared their love for each other. It was hard to pretend that it was all natural and to keep talking as if her face was not pressed against Harry's naked chest, feeling his heart pounding erratically.

"You're so beautiful." He said, a bit uncertainly, wondering if he should say or not, chewing his own lips.

She smiled. She brushed his hair from his forehead, showing the lightning-shaped scar. Then, she said:

"Neither our looks nor our ancestry matter. What matters is who we are. And you're here. You've saved me."

She took off his glasses. She brought her face closer to his, feeling his hot breath penetrating her soul. Green and blue eyes again indulged in a brief kiss. Brief because Flora was in pain and her nose was becoming blue with the cold. Harry realized it and brought her closer to his body. She wanted to touch him, and almost did with her hand opened close to his chest. However, she ended up shrinking the tips of her fingers and pushed him away instead. Her face contorted in pain; not from the physical pain she felt when they kissed, but rather from the psychic pain of wanting and not wanting something she was not meant to do. She got out from his lap and sat in front of him. Her teeth started to clatter against each other:

"I'm cold." She said.

He shook his head sideways, with a half smile on his face:

"Come back here. You're gonna freeze to death. There's a snow storm on its way."

She pressed her nose against his chest to warm herself up. He gently held her head and she fell asleep. She was not trembling any more.

The dawn broke. Harry had dozed off. A noise awoke him up. Hermione was standing in front of him. Flora was snuggled up to his bare chest, he was embracing her, and both were under his cloak.

"She is still bleeding; I don't know how to stop it. I think it was _sectumsempra_."

He showed the cut on Flora's arm. Hermione examined it:

"You'd better take her to St. Mungo's."

"Is it safe?"

"Yes, sorry, I forgot to tell you. I'll explain it all later."

Hermione was bewildered with the picture. She did not want to misjudge her friends. She helped Harry to button his shirt and stand up. He picked Flora still unconscious, and they disapparated to the St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.

As soon as they found someone to look after her, Hermione said:

"The maniac that attacked Flora is in jail. Afterwards he also attacked a Muggle woman, who is now dead. Flora was very lucky since she was unarmed. He detailed the chase, the attack and his intentions in the _Department_ of _Magical Law Enforcement_ before they erased his memory. Now everyone understands that she was just defending herself. The ministry found out that Chris Burbage had paid some men to hurt her in Hogsmeade and also to follow her everywhere. He too has been arrested."

"And her family?"

"They're with Draco and Ab in the Hog's Head. They had to take the boys from school, since the news that their mother had attacked a Muggle somehow got there, although nobody knows how, and they were being persecuted. But nothing bad happened to anyone. Felipe came to consciousness after a few hours."

"Good…" Harry replied a bit absent-mindedly. Then he softly muttered "Hermione?"

"Yes."

"Please don't tell Ginny about anything you saw. She wouldn't understand. Flora would freeze to death if..."

"You needn't explain anything to me, Harry. I won't tell her a thing."

"Thank you."


	18. Waiting for the dust to settle

18. Waiting for the dust to settle

Flora spent some days in the hospital until the wound in her arm finally stopped bleeding. Hermione had stayed with her, since Felipe was at home with their children. Harry visited her every day. One day before Flora's discharge from hospital, Hermione asked Harry to replace her for a few hours so that she could go home to her children who were on vacation. Flora and Harry had not talked alone since she had been admitted in the hospital, as Hermione was always by her side:

"How are you?" Harry asked worried.

"Physically, I'm well. I just wanna go home. My arm seems healed now, though it hurts a little. But it hurts a lot less than here". She showed her heart. He held her hand, and said:

"I'm very distressed about this situation. It's heartbreaking. Really… I don't know what to do."

"There is nothing we can do." She said trying desperately to hide her feelings from him as well as herself.

"I know. But I can't get away from you." He said slightly nervous.

"Don't, anyway. Gradually the energy will get into something else. We'll be like brother and sister, so..."

Flora smiled. Harry brushed his forehead, pulling his hair back, his eyes closed. He did not want to have this conversation so he changed the subject:

"In a way, we already are relatives."

"What d'you mean?" The sudden change of subject took her by surprise.

"We have a common ancestor, Peverell. There is even a tale on the Peverell brothers, Hermione can tell you that. She's better at it than me."

"I'll ask her to tell me..." She commented, but that she would not have changed the subject, she felt confused, did not expect him to so easily accept the proposal to be just friends. In fact she did not want it, she had just wanted to be polite. At the same time she felt that she should respect his wishes. The conversation that took place then, got even more tense: "But it isn't only my feeling for you that hurts me so much: what will become of me and my family?"

Harry took a deep breath. For a moment he had forgotten all she went through, so he went on:

"You've been found not guilty. I've managed to put in the Daily Prophet, a note, denying that you usually attacked defenceless Muggles... I don't know to what extent this will put an end to the persecution of your family, but that's all I can do. Fortunately, at the moment I enjoy some respect."

"I can imagine that ... Some _every world's respect_. Thank you, Harry." She was relieved by the answer. In fact, Hermione had told her it was okay, but Flora _needed_ to hear that from Harry. . "Neville and Hannah's baby is born? Is she okay?"

"Yes, she is. She's well, and her mother too. Neville doesn't stop saying that despite being his daughter, she's so beautiful. He's right about both things, I guess." He smiled, seemingly relieved too by change of the subject.

"What's her name?" Flora asked.

"Joanne, after Hannah's mother. We all ended up doing this, giving our parents' name to our kids."

Flora did not reply.

"What happened in the Shrieking Shack…." He began to say.

"This is the name of that house? Like scream? How interesting ... While it is impossible to forget, it'll soon be just a pleasant memory. Rest assured, if the house doesn't scream, no one will ever know."

"No , it doesn't scream." He smiled looking her with curiosity.

"Why this name then?"

"It's a long story." He sighed.

"I think you have the time to tell me about that before I catch the next train." Flora said smiling.

"Will you catch a train?" Harry shook his head.

Flora showed him her arm still fully covered by bandages, from which a small trickle of blood ran down.

"Oh, I see: we do have a lot of time as you aren't going anywhere. I'm sort of numb, I can't think straight anymore. It's very difficult for me to stay here besides you, but I have won worse battles." He grinned.

"I believe that being close to my parents was even worse." She nodded.

"Actually, it was clear then against whom I had to fight ... By your side I fight against myself...It's worse." He said, raising his eyebrows and tightly smiling.

Harry took a deep breath, and looked her in the eyes. Flora bit her lips and raised her eyebrows, then taking a deep breath, she said:

"Harry, it all will be settled soon. Even the heart aches heal... You were gonna tell me about the crying house."

"Shrieking, Shrieking Shack. Well, the house was a hideout for my friend Remus Lupin during the full moon in his school days. Can't remember if I told you this, he met my father at school and they became great friends. He was in fact a werewolf, so the house's howling and shrieking came in fact from him. Sirius, Peter Pettigrew (also known as Wormtail, the traitor that gave my parents' address to Voldemort), my father and him, the four of them, were great friends. Sirius, Wormtail, and my father, were animagi. They turned into animals to give company to Lupin as animals. It is very dangerous for a man to be with a werewolf. The house is connected to Hogwarts through a tunnel, whose entrance is under Whomping Willow. Few people know how to immobilize it in order to use the passage. Are you getting me? I know I look like Hermione when I'm talking on and on."

"Sure ... Wow! I didn't know that wizards could turn into animals."

"Oh, they can. Not all of them, though. Professor McGonagall can become a cat, my father was a stag, Sirius was an all black big dog... It's been so long."

So Harry amazed himself by excitedly telling her the several times he had seen his godfather in his version as a dog, Padfoot. Both had fun, thinking how life would be like with a tail to wag.


	19. The Christmas Party

Flora Riddle 2

19. The Christmas party

Harry was used to having his words misinterpreted whenever he wrote an article to the Daily Prophet. This time though, to his surprise, it didn't happen and his article had exactly the intended effect.

Hogsmeaders decide to throw a welcome party for Flora and her family in an attempt to redeem themselves. It was supposed to be a surprise party, but Hermione's insistence was that Flora would go out of the hospital wearing her best clothes. Coincidentally or not, it was Christmas. So the decoration of the streets and shops helped them to make a great feast in the middle of main street near the station of Hogsmeade. The distribution of Christmas presents followed it. Flora reached Hogsmeade with Hermione, where everybody was waiting for them. Flora's eyes got wet when she read the words of welcome in silvery letters floating high above a large table. All residents of Hogsmeade and Hogwarts were present, along with Ron and his sons, and Harry, Ginny and their kids. To Flora's surprise, Draco, Narcissa, Astoria and Scorpius were also invited. Her aunt, noticeably uncomfortable, was sitting next to Aberforth.

Flora joyfully hugged her children, her husband and then quickly got around the table to see Neville, Hannah and the Little Joanne. The baby girl was really beautiful. Afterwards she apologized to the others, and then asked them all to consider themselves hugged and kissed. She could spend the whole party greeting everyone, but then it'd be a shame to let all that food cool down.

The table of an unspeakable size was flanked by benches. A dark green table cloth, white candles, blue flowers, silver ribbons, and several baskets with tropical fruits brought from Brazil, finely decorated the table. The food in silverware was also quite rich. It was prepared by the Hogwarts' elves, also sitting at the table. Everything was steaming hot and smelt delicious. A derailleur spell kept the snowflakes from falling onto both the people and the feast, forming a sort of dome around everybody. It was pleasantly warm inside.

The distribution of gifts was a little different than usual: each family brought a gift to give to another family. There was a small stage behind the main table so that families could go and make the gift exchanges over there. Madame Rosmerta went up the stage before dessert was served:

"At the request of Ron Weasley who suggested that we should give opportunity for the dinner to settle before we enjoyed the sweets; let's start the community exchange of gifts. Please Felipe, Flora, Ricardo, Lia and Yan do come up here."

The choice to start the distribution of gifts with Flora's family was intentional, so that when the circle closed, they, the honorees, would be receiving their presents, and that would be the highlight of the feast.

Felipe had brought gifts for Aberforth, Hagrid and Filch who had signed in the "families list" as being united not by blood, but rather by fire whiskey. Each of them received a barrel of whiskey, wrapped in papers with Teddy Bears, and tied with a red ribbon that ended in a big bow (Ricardo had idea of wrapping everything in paper with this childish motive, and Lia, to tie them with the ribbon, Yan wanted to add a little garnish of nettles to it, but their father vetted it). After receiving the barrels, the three men gave gifts to Ron and Hermione's family, who in turn gave presents to Hogwarts' unmarried teachers, who did the same to the Malfoys, who gave gifts for Rosmerta and family. They gave to Professor McGonagall, who gave the Hogwarts elves new clothes and so on… Then, came the time for the Potters to give presents to the Ferreiras. James gave a Yan a_ WWW Snackbox _for him to have a good entrance in Hogwarts in the future, Albus gave a book about magic curiosities to Lia, and Lily gave Ricardo a book about Quidditch, full of cards with players' pictures (he joked that he preferred cheerleaders' pictures, but thanked her for the present). Ginny gave Felipe a racing broom, which made his eyes glitter. It was Harry's turn to give, but he made a little speech before handing over his present to Flora:

"I've recently heard from a friend that we shouldn't judge people by their appearance, because it can change."He lightly touched Flora's hair and also his belly that protruded slightly over his belt. The audience laughed at that. "We shouldn't judge people for what they can't do because no one can do everything – except Hermione, of course" a new row of laughter. "We shouldn't judge people for their origin, color, shape, race, ancestry ... However, we ended up doing the same error that Voldemort and his followers did years ago: we judged his daughter by her origin. The fact that she was reared and educated by a Muggle family didn't have any importance, nor had any importance to the fact that she and her family gave us daily examples of good character and conduct. It was enough that detractors distorted reality in favor of prejudice, and gave no opportunity of explanations for everyone to believe what they wanted to believe: Voldemort and Bellatrix's daughter couldn't be a good person, nor her family" `The audience stood in absolute guilty silence. After a brief pause, he continued: "However, we've always been proud to listen to everyone's defense. And so we did: we all heard Flora's alleged victim who ended up telling the truth after being given a few drops of _Veritaserum_. Who wouldn't do the same thing as Flora if they were being attacked and having their clothes torn by a maniac? Who wouldn't do something worse? No, we prefer to point out the more obvious: a powerful witch – Voldemort' daughter - attacked an innocent Muggle. We can't generalize as many did, as not all Muggles are innocent and harmless. We can't generalize as the Muggles either, by stating that every witch or wizard is bad. We know that. I invite you to learn how to see the others beyond their appearances, in addition to blood origin, social position, and… before judging anyone, observe and try to understand them. Because of all this, I'll be giving Flora three gifts..."

Turning to face Flora, Harry handed her a huge bouquet of assorted colorful flowers, together with a scroll tied with a red ribbon rolled up, and on the other hand, went on:

"Everyone who has come to this meeting has brought a flower, so that we could together form a big apology plea. You can't imagine how hard it gets in December to bring flowers, because by common practice, no one canconjure a flower or cast a spell. They were all taken from everywhere in the world and brought for you. We hope that you like it."

Flora smiled and looked around at everyone.

"The second gift comes straight from the kitchens of Hogwarts ... It's a selfish one, you'll soon understand why: it's the secret recipe of the blueberry pie specially prepared by the elves of Hogwarts – because yours are good, but theirs are just wonderful – and finally..."

Harry gave Flora a narrow timber box wrapped in iridescent colored paper:

"Your wand, that Ab carefully kept safe on that fateful afternoon."

Flora, who was so emotional and already had teary eyes since the beginning of Harry's little speech, could barely see what he was giving her. She grabbed the box in her hands: she knew that that was her permission to be again who she had always been: _a real witch_. She opened the box, took out her wand and made silver sparks come out from its tip. She hugged Harry. Then, she took care to release him faster than she wanted to. She spoke looking at all of them:

"I have no words to thank you for all you did for me tonight. I'm not perfect; I've also made many mistakes. I've walked on easy paths that led to unpleasant ends. Nevertheless, to be able to admit our own mistakes and apologize for them is one of the qualities I most admire; perhaps one of the noblest ones. I admire you all. Thank you. And sorry if I'm crying. It must be my hormones..."

People clapped. McGonagall asked to speak:

"Perhaps this is neither the place nor the time for that, but I decided to breach the protocol and invite you right now for the post of Professor of Muggle Studies at Hogwarts, which is vacant due to retirement of the beloved professor Sony Adams, Flora Gressler Ferreira"

"I accept it!" Flora replied, tears welling up in her eyes, unable to control the flood of her emotions any longer.

END

This story continues with Flora Riddle 3, a little darker. I'm finishing writing it, it's already available here in Fanfiction.

Thanks for reading and please, I can't wait more for comments! Please, let me know what you think about my story!

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